Support Resources For the Construction Sector Following Recent Severe Weather Events


Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by the devastating recent weather events and hope that you and your whanau are safe and well as you begin to rebuild your lives, businesses, and communities.

We are in constant contact with the relevant government agencies to ensure they understand the needs of our members to keep their businesses operating as an essential part of the response and recovery. At times like this the amount of information available can be either challenging to access or overwhelming.

With this in mind, we have pulled together a list of resources that should be of the most use as you begin to navigate your way forward.

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Cyclone and Flood Recovery for Businesses:

If you own a business in parts of the North Island and have been affected by Cyclone Gabrielle or the January flooding, you can apply for support to help you.  Click here for more information.

Other business support currently available is listed below:
Flood recovery payments for Auckland businesses
Individuals, marae and community groups affected by this year’s extreme weather events in Auckland can apply for a grant from the Auckland Council Emergency Relief Fund. You can find out more and apply here.

Applications will be accepted until the fund is fully allocated.

Inland Revenue waives late payment penalties
Inland Revenue has announced it will waive late payment penalties for businesses unable to file or pay tax on time due to the recent extreme weather. More information here.

$2,500 cash support available from Westpac
Westpac’s small business customers can apply for a $2,500 cash grant from the Small Business Flood Relief Fund. This also applies to businesses hit by the earlier Auckland floods. Visit the Westpac website and apply now.

$2,000 cash support available from ASB
ASB’s business and personal customers can apply for a one-off $2,000 cash payment for support. They will need to supply some evidence of the impact that Cyclone Gabrielle, or the recent flooding, have had on their operations. You can find out more and apply at the ASB website.

Support packages from other banks
Other major banks – including ANZ, BNZ, and Kiwibank – are offering businesses temporary overdrafts, zero-fee loan restructuring, interest only periods on loans, payment deferrals and other support. Get in touch with your bank to see what’s on offer.

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Contract Guidance
We have worked with Hazelton Law to provide guidance to members on their contractual obligations given these events. Read this guidance here.

We are working on hosting a contract guidance webinar with Hazelton Law as soon as we can. In the meantime you can contact Hazelton Law if you have a specific query – Master Builders will meet the cost of the first 18 minutes of this call – find out more about this under Resources --> My Benefits on Offsite, or click here.

The Construction Sector Accord has also released guidance for procurers on what to do in response to floods, and how to ensure fair and reasonable negotiations for contracts impacted by severe weather events. Read this here.

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Other Business Information

A Business.govt.nz have prepared an information for businesses after extreme weather resource that has information on:

  • Looking after your employees
  • operating safely
  • insurance claims
  • finance and banking
  • buildings and landlord responsibilities.

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Flood Remediation Guidance

MBIE have published four new pieces of information to help support council staff, homeowners, and building practitioners (including engineers).

Flood damaged building
This guidance is for homeowners and occupiers of buildings damaged by the North Island severe weather events. It covers steps to take after the flood, through to repairs and minimising future damage.

Damage to wall linings (plasterboard) caused by flooding
This guidance provides information on identifying plasterboard wall linings that have been damaged by flooding, and what needs to be done to remove and replace these. If significant sections of wall need to be removed, you should consult with your Council or a building professional to confirm whether the work may require a building consent.

Building consent exemptions
This quick guide provides councils, building practitioners, and homeowners with information on what building work may not require a building consent when repairing damage caused by the severe weather events.

Building consent exemptions include:

  • General repair, maintenance and replacement
  • Single storey detached buildings
  • Repair or replacement of outbuilding
  • Windows and exterior doorways in existing dwellings and outbuildings
  • Interior alterations to existing non-residential building

Slope stability quick guide
This document provides homeowners and occupiers of buildings that have been affected in the recent weather events with direction on remediating damage related to slope and ground stability.

CHASNZ have also release a simple guide to assist construction tradespeople involved in remediating flood damaged buildings and property. Risk Guide to working on a flood damaged property.

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The New Zealand Claims Resolution Service
The Government announced the launch of the New Zealand Claims Resolution Service (NZCRS) on Sunday 19 February. NZCRS is a free service providing residential homeowners with advice, case management support where appropriate, and access to legal, technical and wellbeing services to help them achieve timely, fair, and enduring resolution of their residential insurance claims resulting from natural disasters.

The service is modelled on the Greater Christchurch Claims Resolution Service (GCCRS) and Residential Advisory Service (RAS), which were used during the Canterbury earthquakes and proved to be successful with insurance companies.

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Insurance Claim After a Severe Weather Event - AON

 

The recent flood and cyclone event has severely affected many families and businesses. There is no doubt you are hoping your insurance can alleviate some of the financial uncertainty in this situation. There are a few steps that Aon Insurance suggests you to take to make this process a bit smoother and less stressful. 

1. Mitigate any further loss
✓ This needs to be reasonable

2. Advise your broker as soon as reasonably possible
✓ Allows broker to lodge a claim with the insurer to possibly get a loss adjuster to review the damages as soon as possible

3. Lodge and record evidence after the immediate risk is mitigated
✓ Take photos and videos

4. Create a timesheet/ cost code for the claim
✓ Timesheet to note the additional labour costs
✓ Separate cost code

For your insurance needs click here to find out more about Aon.

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Donations

If you would like to provide financial support to the communities affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, you can donate to a Mayoral Relief Fund. Other places accepting donations to help those accepted by the cyclone can be found here.

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Looking After Yourself

We are here 24/7 to support our members. We have our member counselling service, available anytime if you need support. You can call 0508 664 981 and be connected with professional, qualified support.
Find out more by clicking here.

Other resources include: 

Kia Kaha.