If your home has a red or yellow building placard due to flood-related damage, this page guides you through what it means and what to do next.
Owner of a yellow stickered, flood-affected home
Building inspectors have assessed your house as 'restricted access' which is shown by a yellow placard placed on the building. This means you can enter the property to remove household goods, water-damaged belongings, damaged wall and floor linings, insulations and any silt under the house.
You may occupy your house before all flood-damaged repairs have been completed, if the building is safe and dry enough. See the guidance below.
What does a yellow sticker mean?
A yellow sticker (placard) indicates the house has suffered moderate damage. Floodwater may have made the building unhealthy to occupy, or it may be threatened by land movement. The placard will state what access is allowed.
Having your home yellow-stickered can be upsetting and stressful, but support is available to help you through the process.
What needs to be done to get back into my house?
Contact your insurer as soon as possible. Let them know your home has been yellow-stickered and begin your claim.
Record the damage:
Make a list and take clear photos or videos of all damage including:
- flooded or contaminated items
- carpets and flooring
- soft furnishings.
Wet and damaged building materials
- Remove wet wall linings and insulation to help the framing dry out.
Talk to your insurer or contact a qualified builder before starting. - Remove all damaged flooring, including floor linings and wet floor coverings such as carpet or lino.
Note if the lino is very old it may contain asbestos, follow specialist advice before disturbing it.
Flood-damaged contents
- Remove flood-damaged furniture, whiteware, joinery.
This includes kitchen and bathroom cabinets if they have been water-damaged.
Electrical and gas safety
- Have your power supply checked by a registered electrician before you reconnect or use it.
If you have an affected upper floor, isolate the power to the damaged area if possible. - Have the gas system checked by a licensed gasfitter.
Ensure gas bottles haven't moved - floating can damage couplings.
Structural checks
- Look for signs of structural damage. Flooding can move foundations or piles.
Contact Council or a qualified professional if you're unsure.
Silt and subfloor ventilation
- Remove silt from under the floor.
Wooden floors require 550mm clearance from the ground and there must be adequate crawl space under buildings – (approximately 250 - 300mm under the bearers).
You may be able to occupy the building before the silt is removed, if there is adequate subfloor ventilation. If your building is well off the ground, you may not need to do this step.
Trees and external hazards
- If there are trees threatening the house, these may need to be removed.
Additional steps for rural properties
- Check gully traps and ensure the main drain to the septic tank is clear of silt.
- Check whether the septic tank has filled with silt.
- Inspect water supply pumps - many are located under the house and may have been under water. They may need replacing or servicing.
A house can take several days or several weeks to dry out enough for you to safely move back in.
To help speed up the drying process:
- ventilate every day by opening doors and windows to let fresh air circulate.
- Use large industrial fans or dehumidifiers to increase airflow and remove moisture.
Before using any electrical equipment, make sure a registered electrician has checked the power supply to the home.
You can move back in to your house before the walls are relined with GIB.
Most repair work won't require building consent, but please check with our Building Services team first. They will check the moisture content of the framing before you replace the GIB.
If your house was built after 1990, please contact our Building Services team on (06) 863 1605 for advice about reinstating the bracing.
Once you think it's dry and the damage or hazard has been removed or repaired
Please contact our Building Services team, they'll review the yellow sticker - call the team on (06) 863 1605
1. Electrical safety
- Please provide confirmation from a registered electrician that the power supply is safe.
- Rural properties: Check that your water pump is working. Many pumps are installed under the floor and may have been under water.
2. Gas safety
- Please provide confirmation from a licensed gasfitter
- If you have gas bottles, check whether they have moved or been damaged.
3. Safe water supply
- Rural properties - check your water tank for contamination or damage.
4. Wastewater system
- Rural properties - a drainlayer should check your septic tank if it's not functioning after the flood.
5. Is the house dry enough?
- We'll assess whether the framing and internal spaces have dried to safe levels.
6. Silt under the house
- We'll check whether there's silt under the floor and confirm there's adequate subfloor ventilation.
7. Other hazards
- Ensure any other threats - such as unstable trees have been inspected or removed if necessary.
If all the checks above are clear, we'll talk with you about moving back in to your home.
Owner of a red stickered, flood-affected home
A Red Placard (Red Sticker) is issued only when a building is too dangerous to enter after a disaster. This may be because the home is threatened by a slip, has been undermined by a stream or river scour or has been damaged by land movement.
Land movement can continue even after the rain has stopped, making conditions unpredictable and unsafe. For this reason, no one should enter a red-stickered building until it has been assessed and cleared by the appropriate authorities.
What does a red sticker mean?
A home may receive a Red Placard (Red Sticker) if it is deemed unsafe or uninhabitable when the structure has been affected or threatened by flooding or land movement. A red sticker means the structure has been damaged or is threatened and the building cannot be safely occupied.
Until Council is satisfied that the risk has been removed, you must not enter your property, except to retrieve valuable possessions or essential items.
If you are insured, contact contact your insurer as soon as possible to discuss alternative accommodation cover.
If you have concerns or questions, contact our building inspector: Ian Petty - 027 628 7075.
Why we issue a Red Sticker
A Red Sticker is issued with extreme care because it may require the building be vacated for a considerable period of time, particularly if a slip or land instability needs to be stabilised.
The red placard will generally state that -
- The building must be vacated and remain empty until an assessment has been carried out by a geotechnical professional with either CPEng or PEngGeol qualifications.
After assessment, the specialist may recommend that:
- the building can be reoccupied, or
- stabilisation work is required, such as a retaining wall or inground palisade wall.
These types of walls require a building consent from Council and must be designed by an CPEng structural engineer.
If this work is required, the occupation restriction will remain in place until the wall is completed and a Code Compliance Certificate is issued.
Insurance and lodging a claim
If your home, car or contents have been damaged by the severe weather, take photos before you remove or repair anything and report it to your insurance company as soon as possible.
You only need to contact your insurer - they'll explain what to do next, how to claim and EQC cover works if it applies.
If you need to make your home safe, sanitary, secure or weathertight, record all work carried out. Take before-and-after photos and keep copies of any invoices or receipts.
If your home is damaged and uninhabitable, ask your insurer whether you're eligible for a temporary accommodation benefit, which is included in most home and content policies.