Healthy Homes Assessment Brown Owl

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? 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 new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work needed to be completed. needs to be completed, and offer a report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Brown Owl rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be finished within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Brown Owl rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to meet 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 currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and should be kept updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It is important to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Brown Owl, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be colder, older and have less effective heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improving the standard of Brown Owl rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

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

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Brown Owl Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Brown Owl

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within households. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a hole or gap, then it is probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from the house require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the house warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will test the windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Brown Owl

Brown Owl rental properties should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it must have an thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Brown Owl

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dry air will be easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight needs at least open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Brown Owl

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and also makes it easier to the home to retain heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Brown Owl Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

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

The ground-moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor 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

The areas of rental property that are affected by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Brown Owl include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Brown Owl for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check in the home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert advice, call today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.