Healthy Homes Assessment Brown Owl

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware 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 renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

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

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, and are fully certified to assess 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Brown Owl rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to note that a landlord who own several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and make arrangements to have an home inspection performed for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Brown Owl, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Brown Owl rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living due to diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Control on Brown Owl rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Brown Owl Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Brown Owl

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap that is, it’s likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit within your home require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as far as possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes 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 when the home is heated and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will check every window and door during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Brown Owl

Rental properties in Brown Owl need to have a stable source of heat that can warm the living room to at least 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to top up with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat source, then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a central heating source like an air conditioner, it may need an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Brown Owl

Each liveable space in the rental property should have at least one opening doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding how dried air can be easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or skylight requirements for them to be in a position open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will need proper extractor fan systems that vent towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Brown Owl

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement in all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and it will make an easier task to allow the house to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor 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 the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Brown Owl Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is typically what you don’t see that can become a big problem and cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water is able to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of this 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 to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Brown Owl include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Brown Owl for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine during the house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to book your rental property house assessment.