Register with us
Only one person per household needs to apply.
Select one of the current activation options under ‘Apply’ on our website to start your registration process or call 0508 754 163 to register by phone.
If we have not activated for the civil defence emergency event you are affected by and you need more immediate help, contact your local civil defence group for support:
Local civil defence groups – Civil defence
We’ll get in touch
When we receive your registration, a Matching and Placement Coordinator will contact you to discuss your situation and temporary accommodation needs. It may take us up to 5 days to contact you depending on the volume of registrations in an activation.
Needs Assessment
To help us better understand your situation and temporary accommodation needs, let us know if:
- you or someone in your household has medical requirements or mobility needs
- you have pets or livestock
- you are a public or community housing tenant
- you are registering on behalf of someone else
We will need evidence that the affected property is your primary residence, for example:
- a red or yellow placard by a Rapid Building Assessor
- utility bills and outgoings
- rental agreement
Finding suitable temporary accommodation for your household can take some time. Please be assured we will arrange for suitable temporary accommodation for your household as soon as it is available.
If you cannot stay in your damaged home, you may need to stay with friends, whānau, or in emergency accommodation provided by your local civil defence groups until we can find suitable temporary accommodation for your household.
Confirming eligibility and accommodation
Once TAS has received all the information required for your household to be considered eligible you will be advised of the outcome.
If you are eligible, a Matching and Placement Co-ordinator will be in touch to discuss your temporary accommodation options and cost with you.
Temporary accommodation options may be limited. Some options may include:
- commercial accommodation (e.g., hotels or motels)
- relocatable accommodation (e.g., cabins or motorhomes)
- housing in residential areas.
When there is a shortage of suitable temporary accommodation, TAS may procure and deploy additional housing supply to support households displaced by civil defence emergencies.
Please understand that it may be difficult to meet all your housing needs, such as being close to work or housing your pets. Consider ways you can be flexible as you work towards returning home or finding a new place to live.
For example, if the temporary accommodation is not close to your workplace, talk to your employer about flexible working arrangement options. Or if the temporary accommodation cannot take pets, is there a family member or friend who could mind your pet for you?
Being flexible can help us find you suitable temporary accommodation faster.
Cost for temporary accommodation
You will need to pay a weekly cost for the temporary accommodation. This is called a 'part payment’.
A part payment will cover a portion of the weekly accommodation cost for the property. TAS will cover the remaining cost.
TAS will advise households on registration that there is a cost and how much their weekly part payment will be.
If you have insurance, review your policy to find out your rent cover for temporary accommodation. If you are uninsured, or your insurance policy does not cover temporary accommodation, you may be eligible for financial assistance through the Ministry of Social Development.
Returning to your home
You can use the temporary accommodation while you work towards returning to your home or wait to confirm the specific circumstances for your home.
We encourage you to take active steps to find permanent accommodation. We will support you in this process through regular contact with a Matching and Placement Coordinator who will be available to discuss and support your changing needs.
If returning to the home you were displaced from is not a viable option, your Matching and Placement Coordinator can also refer you to information on renting or other housing options.
