Earlier this week, the Government introduced a new certification scheme for prefabricated home manufacturers, in the hope that it'll make the process faster and cheaper.
Without giving up any thorough checks, prefab manufacturers now only need resource consents for the installation site when putting up the properties, rather than also needing one for the design or the production factory.
Manufacturers are required to provide a clear description of their product in layman's terms and evidence to back up the claims they make about their products' features and performance.
This new scheme will come into play early next year with the hope of saving time and cost for both manufacturers and consenting authorities. The savings are expected to be up to $1.5 million per year, which will then hopefully transfer to more affordable homes available for households.
The new scheme will see an increase in penalties and a longer window for claims to be lodged for any charges or complaints for agencies to complete thorough checks to ensure a high standard in completion.
The next step for the Government to add to this new scheme will be discussing how they will sort any risk, insurance and liability around the process. Announcements for these are expected earlier next year.