新西兰英语 165 Home Insulation Plan

（单词翻译）

　　Many houses in New Zealand are cold. Our traditional wooden house had no insulation¹. If you live in a house like that, you are paying for heat to escape from the ceiling, walls and under the floor. Insulation is made from material like wool or fibreglass, and it helps to keep the heat inside the house. New Zealand has 900,000 houses that are not insulated. In the next four years, the government will give money to insulate 180,000 homes.
Starting today, if you own a house which was built before 2000, you can apply for a subsidy² to help you pay for insulation and heating. The government will pay 30% of the cost of insulation and $500 for new heating. You will have to pay the rest yourself. If you have a Community Services Card, the government will pay more: 60% for the cost of insulation and $1,200 for heating.
If you need more financial help, you may be able to add the cost to your rates and pay during the next 10 years. Another possibility is to add the cost to your mortgage.
Landlords can also apply for this money, for one property or more than one. If the tenant³ has a Community Services card, the landlord will get a 60% subsidy for insulation and $500 for heating. If the tenant does not have a Community Services Card, the subsidy is 30% for insulation and $500 for heating. Tell your landlord about this subsidy.
The website www.eeca.govt.nz will tell you more.