Information for homeowners and building owners
Last updated: 1 November 2024
Your home or property may need a building assessment by a suitably qualified professional if it is damaged by a major event. This is to ensure it is safe to enter and occupy, and does not risk the safety of others.
If an emergency has affected your area it is possible that your home or building may be damaged. This information is to help homeowners and building owners understand what actions they should take, and what help is available.
Rapid building assessment
Rapid building assessments quickly establish the usability of buildings and associated infrastructure where their use may be compromised by an event such as flooding. The focus of the rapid building assessment process is on immediate public safety.
Rapid building assessments are a brief initial assessment conducted, to ensure the safety of building occupants and the public. This assessment will identify if the building is safe to occupy.
A Rapid Building Assessor will look at the outside, and possibly the inside of the building to check the damage caused.
The assessment will consider the risk of the building being damaged by neighbouring buildings or nearby natural hazards, even if the building itself is undamaged.
Watch our video for more information about rapid building assessments.
Visual
Drone shot of Auckland harbour and clifftops. Building Performance logo and video title ‘Building Emergency Management’ appears on screen. Paul Campbell from WSP appears, seated in an office talking to the camera.
Audio
Rapid building assessment is about visually inspecting buildings after an event, some sort of natural disaster. We go out with a view to see if the building is safe to be occupied, depending on what sort of damage or not has happened to it.
Visual
Jeremy Neven from Granite Ridge Consulting is seated in a low-lit office space and talks to the camera. A circular graphic showing the objective of building emergency management appears on the left-hand side of the screen. The graphic reads, ‘minimise building damage, protect life and safety, restore functions, reduce loss and disruption.’
Audio
Well, the rapid building assessment system is there to help support New Zealanders by giving them a framework of understanding what the risks are associated with their building. (It) also gives them assurances or can give them assurances as to the safety of being able to reside in that building, portions of the building and given directions to next steps to ensure that the building is safe and can be occupied again.
Visual
Rori Green, geotechnical engineer sits in a low-lit office space, speaking to the camera. Up close footage of the interior of a badly damaged house. Shot of a flood affected property showing an upturned tree and flood debris. Helicopter footage of collapsed cliffs in Auckland. Back to Rori speaking in the office.
Audio
Well, there's two types of rapid building assessments. So, one is the structural type of assessment looking at the actual structure of the building, and then there's the geotechnical assessments. And those are focused more on looking at the land around the house and identifying things that could pose a hazard to the building, and to the building's occupants and. And so that's what we, another thing that we look at.
Visual
Amanda Macauley from MBIE sits in a low-lit office space, speaking to the camera. Drone shot over a New Zealand city in the rain, showing some flooding. Helicopter footage of Auckland clifftops.
Responsibilities of homeowners and building owners
Your safety is most important. Please ensure you look after yourself and your whānau/family.
Following an event, there are some things you should do:
- Check all your buildings and property for signs of damage.
- If your building is damaged, contact the local council to request a rapid building assessment.
- If your building is damaged, contact your insurance company to request an assessment.
- To find information about rapid building assessments happening in your area go to your local council website.
If your building has been assessed it may have received a placard to confirm the outcome of the assessment.
Information about the placards and what they mean.
As a building owner you have a responsibility to ensure your buildings remain structurally sound following an event such as a major earthquake or flood. You must continue to comply with your obligations in relation to health and safety, tenancy and lease agreements, and any other contracts.
You also have an obligation to enable authorised officials to carry out their inspection duties following an event.
Employers or tenants who occupy your buildings should follow your advice. They should be satisfied that you are performing your role and meeting your responsibilities.
Disputes and appeals
If you disagree with a decision made by an authorised official using building emergency management powers during a 'designation' under the Building Act you may apply to MBIE for a determination.
Information about disputes, determinations and appeals.
Related information and support
Insurance and claims
If your building has been damaged, you can reach out to your insurer to make a claim if needed.
Contact your insurer as soon as possible, there are likely to be delays as insurance companies deal with many claims. Make sure you take photos of any damage if it is safe to do so.
EQC also provides some cover for emergencies on defined areas of residential land, where there's a current private insurance policy for the home, which includes fire insurance (most do).
Insurance and claims : Toka Tū Ake EQC - eqc.govt.nz
New Zealand Claims Resolution Service (NZCRS)
Dealing with the aftermath of a natural disaster can be extremely stressful. It is important that you have access to the independent support that you need.
The New Zealand Claims Resolution Service (NZCRS) is a free service that provides residential homeowners with advice, case management support where appropriate, and access to legal, technical and wellbeing services so they can achieve timely, fair, and enduring resolution of their residential insurance claims resulting from natural disasters.
You should talk to your insurer in the first instance and contact NZCRS if you have concerns about your claim or are unsure about the process.
More information about NZCRS or discuss a claim with NZCRS - nzcrs.govt.nz
Services for tenants and landlords
If you are the tenant or landlord of a rental property you can find information about your rights and obligations after a natural disaster on the Tenancy Services website or by phoning 0800 TENANCY (0800 836 262).
Tenancy Services - What to do after a natural disaster - tenancy.govt.nz
Temporary Accommodation Service
If you need immediate emergency accommodation following an event, contact your local Civil Defence centre.
Local civil defence centres - civildefence.govt.nz
The Temporary Accommodation Service supports affected households to find ongoing temporary accommodation in the wake of an emergency where they are displaced from their home while it is being repaired, rebuilt or they are unable to return to access their home.
Temporary Accommodation Service - mbie.govt.nz