Healthy Homes Assessment Brown Owl

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Brown Owl rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work which requirements to be completed and offer the report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties and are fully qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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 completed inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed. It is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to keep in mind that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Brown Owl, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Brown Owl rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping for Brown Owl rental properties.

Start now and call about the Brown Owl Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Brown Owl

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in homes. A cold home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it is most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of your home need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will check the windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Brown Owl

Rental properties in Brown Owl need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it might need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Brown Owl

Every living space in a rental property must include at least one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dry air will be more easy to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or the skylight requirements at least to open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Brown Owl

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness as well as making more easy to the household to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

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

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

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Brown Owl Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is typically those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the property. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Brown Owl

The areas of rental property that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Brown Owl include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Brown Owl for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over when conducting an house review to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property home assessment.