Open Fire place ban in Auckland – the council’s new bylaw

Landlords have start asking me the question on what they need to do once the new bylaw comes in to force regarding open fire places and log fires.

Back in October 2014 media was suggesting that the new bylaw had been doused and will not go ahead. Like all news it became old news and was forgotten.

Now the Auckland council has set the bylaw to start May 2015 which is called Air Quality Bylaw

When do you stop using non-compliant fires under the proposed law?

There are two phase of the new law

Bylaw comes in to affect for Phase 1 from 1st of May 2015

·         The law states if you are selling a property you need to remove or replace a non-compliant indoor fire when you sell your property

·         Ban burning of coal in open fires, clean wood only in urban areas

Phase 2 – from 1st October 2018

·         Ban on open fires comes into effect 

·         Pre 2005 wood burners to be removed/replaced by this date 

Use of open fires: open fires will be prohibited in the urban airshed after 2018. We can issue a notice to an owner of an operational open fire requiring it to be permanently blocked or removed after 1 October 2018.

Use of non-compliant wood burners: old wood burners are prohibited in the urban airshed after 1 October 2018. We can issue a notice to require removal of the old wood burner after this time.

The census from 2013 and Auckland city survey from 2012 has indicated  that there are approximately 17,000 open fires and 64,000 old wood burners

Check out the Auckland city council website Click here 

Will Auckland Council said there can be some financial help provided through their Retrofit Your Home programme:

“homeowners decommissioning open fires or inefficient wood burners are able to apply to the Retrofit Your Home programme to support fire place decommissioning and installation of a clean heating solution.”

See more at the Retrofit your home website Click here

For more information feel free to contact me
Nick Powell
Property Investment Manager