Do the work and apply for funding support

Commission the work

If you don’t want to apply for a building consent you must:

• have regard to heritage concerns
• use a chartered professional engineer
• follow the engineer’s design
• notify the council at least three days before any work begins.

You must also notify the council when the work is complete so that they can confirm that the work required under the section 124 notice has been done. You will not be able to access the available funding without that confirmation.

Ensure your engineer is familiar with the guidance document Securing the parapets and facades of unreinforced masonry buildings

This sets out performance guidelines for securing your parapet and/or facade and highlights the importance of keeping your building weathertight.

There may be pressure on engineering and building resources within the timeframe of your notice. Consider working with other building owners and jointly engaging an engineer and building contractor. Work with your neighbours to agree an approach to such features as a shared facade.

If your work involves fencing off part of a pavement or street, ensure you have taken the necessary steps and have the right permits.

Ensure your building contractor has a health and safety plan and follows that plan.

Notify the council when work is complete

Notify the council when the work to secure your unreinforced masonry (URM) building’s parapet and/or facade is complete, and has been reviewed and signed off by a chartered professional engineer.

Send the council evidence that the design and construction work has secured your building’s parapet and/or facade and removed or reduced the risk of it falling in an earthquake. Evidence includes:

• a statement of competency from the chartered professional engineer doing the design work
• a design summary of the securing work
• a statement from the chartered professional engineer who did the design confirming the word accords with the design and detailing any changes agreed during construction. This can be supported, if necessary by site notes and a PS1 and PS4 signed by the engineer
• photographs of the completed work
• a statement from the builder confirming the work accords with the engineer’s design and identifying any construction changes approved by the chartered professional engineer.

There is a detailed list of suitable evidence on page 27 of the guidance document Securing the parapets and facades of unreinforced masonry buildings

When the council is satisfied that the parapet and/or facade of your building has been secured to a satisfactory standard it will lift the section 124 notice. Then you can apply to the Unreinforced Masonry Buildings Securing Fund.

Apply for funding support

You can apply to MBIE for support from the Unreinforced Masonry Buildings Securing Fund. You will need to supply evidence to support your claim.

The application form has further details.

Application form: Unreinforced Masonry Buildings Securing Fund

To access funding, securing work must have been completed within the stated time period:

• Building owners who meet the requirements for the ‘reasonable steps’ extension must complete securing work within 18 months of the date on which the section 124 notice was issued.
• Building owners who do not meet the requirements for the ‘reasonable steps’ extension must complete securing work within 12 months of the date on which the section 124 notice was issued.

Note: Applications for costs associated with securing work completed past the specified 12- or 18-month timeframe will be ineligible to receive support.

Once MBIE has received your application, it will check that all the information required has been provided and that you are eligible for funding. Funds will only be paid into your nominated bank account once the eligibility of your claim is confirmed.

All claims that meet the administrative criteria (ie all evidence is provided), will be approved unless:

• there are clear discrepancies between normal and claimed expenditure (eg an engineer’s charge out rate significantly outside guidelines)
• MBIE cannot verify the existence of companies providing services which are invoiced, either through the Companies Office Register or other sources.

Where there are discrepancies, owners will be required to justify or explain, or be given the opportunity to withdraw their claim.