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? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Brown Owl rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks which requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Brown Owl rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Brown Owl rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is signed. It is updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s also crucial to be aware that a landlord with several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for severe breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Brown Owl, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who reported four or more key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Brown Owl rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping for Brown Owl rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Brown Owl Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Brown Owl

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A cold house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a hole or gap, then it is likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out within your house need seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the home warms and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check the windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Brown Owl

Brown Owl rental properties require a reliable heating source that can heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump it must include an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source, like an air conditioner, it might need a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Brown Owl

Each living space within a rental property has to have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging how dried air can be easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and therefore are not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Brown Owl

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and will also make much easier for the household to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

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

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Brown Owl Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water, and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and end up causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Brown Owl

Property rental areas that are affected through the Healthy Homes Standards in Brown Owl include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Brown Owl for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over in the house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.