Northland landlords have just over a month left to insulate their rental properties, or they could face a fine of up to $4000 from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). Any landlords who still don't comply after paying the penalty, may face further action according to MBIE. From July 1, ceiling and underfloor insulation is compulsory in all rental homes across New Zealand. Landlords now have just over a month to meet the looming deadline. As a rough guide, MBIE has suggested that the average cost for a professional installer to install both ceiling and floor insulation is about $3400+GST for a 96sq m property. This would increase if the property is larger.
Property invader caught
A police dog and handler tracked a man who was discovered by a homeowner leaping over his back fence and trying the back door. Police said the homeowner in Puriri Park Rd alerted police about 12.50pm yesterday . A dog team was quickly on scene and tracked the man down in a Raumanga home.
Work on SH1 resumes
Work has resumed to repair a stretch of State Highway 1, south of Umawera. Flood water from a storm event in March 2018 scoured out the river bank on the Waihou River, causing a culvert to break and fall into the river. "To repair it, the NZ Transport Agency had to close the southbound lane so the old culvert could be replaced," NZTA Northland System Manager Jacqui Hori-Hoult said. After starting the repair work it was found the non-standard culvert was beyond repair and a new culvert had to be ordered, which delayed the work. "The replacement culvert is now on site and work has resumed. We've had temporary traffic lights in place while the road is reduced to one lane. We thank motorists for their understanding and patience during this time, but we're now able to finish the work and restore the highway to full service," she said. "We expect to complete the repair and reopen the road by the end of the month, weather permitting."
