Healthy Homes Assessment Brown Owl

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Brown Owl rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

• Draught Stopping
• Heating
• Insulation
• Ventilation
• Moisture Ingress & Drainage

We will evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks which needs to be completed and offer the report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, and are completely qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Brown Owl rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Brown Owl rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also crucial to note that a landlord with several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment done on your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Brown Owl, and research shows us that these rental homes tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health results, specifically for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Brown Owl rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment will be protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping in Brown Owl rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Brown Owl Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Brown Owl

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in households. A cold home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a hole or gap, then it’s likely a crack or an opening that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of the home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

There is no require to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure as the home is heated and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Brown Owl

Rental properties in Brown Owl must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must have an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a central heating source such as a heat pump, then it may need a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Brown Owl

Each living space within a rental house must have at least one openable doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding how the dry atmosphere is easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or skylight needs to have the ability open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that vent to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is a healthy house

Insulation Brown Owl

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure the insulation meets current quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, as well as making more easy to the household to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Brown Owl Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Brown Owl

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Brown Owl include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Brown Owl for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over during the house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.