Introduction
If you want to make your home
warmer, drier and more sustainable, and you meet the eligibility criteria,
you can apply for financial assistance through our Clutha Warm Homes Programme.
As a ratepayer you can apply
for up to $5,000 (including GST) which is paid back through your rates over up
to five years.
If you are a tenant or
landlord and are applying for help to pay for ceiling and under-floor
insulation, you can also apply for an ENERGYWISE™ grant through the Energy
Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).
For more details about EECA
ENERGYWISE grants, visit the ENERGYWISE website or phone 0800 749 782.
Programme Background
The Clutha Warm Homes
Programme delivered by Clutha District Council is a cost neutral programme that
seeks to improve the quality of housing for Clutha residents by enabling better
access to insulation and clean heating measures.
The programme provides
multiple benefits for Clutha. In addition to the primary outcomes such as
improved local air quality, installing insulation and clean heating provides
for financial savings for households, and improved quality of life and life
expectancy for occupiers who suffer from an illness related to cold and damp
housing.
Eligibility
You are eligible if:
- You are a Clutha District Council ratepayer.
- You are up to date with your rate payments and have a good payment history.
- You are the ratepayer of the property (including landlords). The property must be within the Clutha District boundary and have been built before the year 2000.
- You agree to pay all your rates by direct debit on an agreed basis (ideally monthly, fortnightly or weekly) for the period of the targeted rate (up to 5 years).
- You provide a quote for approved insulation and heating from your CDC-registered service provider.
- With your service provider, you correctly fill in the required areas of all forms and meet all the requirements of the Clutha Warm Homes programme.
- You can apply for up to $5,000 financial assistance to access the following home improvement interventions: home insulation and clean heating. For clean heat interventions, your home must already be insulated.
- If you have more than one house, you can apply for assistance for each of them.
How to Apply
If you're interested in any of the above interventions:
- Download the application form below, or phone us on 03 419 0200 to have one sent to you. Your application pack contains an application form, and a ratepayer agreement. A summary of frequently asked questions and answers is also available below, including general information on the programme
- You can then request quotes from the service providers we pre-approved for the service. You can't do the installation yourself as we want to ensure safety and high-quality workmanship.
- When you've decided, return a signed copy of your selected quote along with a completed application form and ratepayer agreement.
- We will process your application and notify your chosen supplier(s) so that they can undertake the work.
- The supplier will contact you to install your insulation/heating.
- Once the install is complete, we will pay your supplier directly. We will also notify you by sending you a repayment letter.
- Your repayments will be added to your rates at the beginning of the rating year, i.e. 1 July each year. You can make voluntary payments earlier if you wish.
Ratepayer Application and Agreement (481KB)
Frequently Asked Questions - and Answers (96KB)
Approved Service Providers
Please see attached for a list
of our approved service providers, through which you can obtain a quote and
apply to be part of the voluntary targeted rate scheme for your chosen product.
Repayment
You will repay this assistance
over up to five years through a targeted rate included on your rates bill. This
will only be added to your rates at the beginning of the rating year, i.e. 1
July each year.
If you want to repay the
assistance earlier, you can make extra repayments. There are no early repayment
charges or penalties, however, the retrofit portion that is pending on your
rates still needs to be paid to rates until the end of the financial year. If
you would like to make extra payments, contact us.
Your repayment dates are the
same as your rates instalments. This is usually August, November, February and
May. Please see your rates notice for the actual dates each year.
The table below will give you
an idea of your payments. The increase in your rates will not start until the
new rating year, 1 July.
This table is to be used as a
guide only and there are many variables that will influence your payment
amounts.
| Clutha District Council payment option (includes GST) | $1000 | $2000 | $3000 | $4000 | $5000 |
| Approximate amount payable each year (includes GST) | $222 | $443 | $665 | $886 | $1108 |
| Approximate per quarterly rates instalment (includes GST) | $55 | $111 | $166 | $222 | $277 |
| Five-year total (including interest and GST) | $1108 | $2215 | $3323 | $4431 | $5539 |
Interest Rates
The current interest rate is
3.98 per cent.
This is at the same interest
rate of borrowing from Clutha District Council. The rate will be updated in
July each year. Your interest will accrue from 1 July 2019.
Rates Notice
Once your assistance is added
to your rates, this will appear in your Rates Notice as "Clutha Warm Homes
Targeted Rate". The Loan Value is the
GST-inclusive balance as at 30 June each year, and the Rate (not
the rate of interest) is used to calculate the targeted rate for the year.
Selling Your House
If you sell your house with an outstanding amount owing on your VTR, you must:
tell any prospective owner about the existence of the targeted rate
include a written provision in any sale agreement recording that disclosure
notify the Clutha District Council Warm Homes programme team
you may also arrange to pay the targeted rate in full.
Terms and Conditions
Our terms and conditions are also available at the back of the:
Ratepayer Application and Agreement (477KB)
Six-Monthly Balance Statements
If you are a participant of
the Clutha Warm Homes Programme, you may receive a statement letter in the
post. This is for your records and no action is required.
If you have any questions,
email us at Greg.Bowie@cluthadc.govt.nz
Cancellations
You can cancel your
application within seven working days of the initial disclosure by Clutha
District Council to you. For more information on cancellations see:
Enquiries, Feedback and Complaints
Greg.Bowie@cluthadc.govt.nz
OR
Clutha Warm Homes Programme
C/O Greg Bowie
Clutha District Council
PO Box 25
Balclutha 9240