An Auckland family served the remainder of their managed isolation stint in their multi-million dollar home after complaining about conditions in their initial facility.

The woman, who is the wife of a prominent New Zealand sportsman, complained about conditions at the isolation hotel near Auckland Airport where she and her children were staying.

Some of her children are high-needs, it is understood.

After complaining about the cleanliness of the facility, Stuff understands she was allowed to serve the remainder of her mandatory 14-day isolation period in the family’s $3 million home, in one of Auckland's most exclusive suburbs.

Neighbours, who did not want to be identified, said security guards were stationed outside the home.

A notice was posted on the gate of the property, with a Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) letterhead, warning people not to cross the boundaries of the property and saying all deliveries must be contactless.

Residents said they were given information by health officials about their neighbours isolating.

When asked about the situation, the Ministry of Health told Stuff “this was not a health-related decision” and directed enquiries to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) – the Government agency which oversees MIQ facilities.

But in a lengthy written statement, MBIE refused to explain exactly why the exemption was granted.

“Without a privacy waiver from the family we cannot comment on the specifics of this case,” an MBIE spokesman said.

The woman declined comment when approached by Stuff.

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However, MBIE did acknowledge exemptions from MIQ facilities are rare – with just 11 since July 14, 2020.

“Six exemption applications have been approved for self-isolation at an individual’s private home, i.e. not spending 14 days managed isolation at a managed isolation facility,” the statement said.

“Of these, five were approved under the medical needs category, where the person’s needs could not be accommodated in the managed isolation facility, and one application was approved under the exceptional circumstances category.

“There have also been five exemption applications approved to isolate at home after the applicant(s) entered MIQ for at least three days. This may have been because all the information required to approve their application wasn’t received prior to the returnees’ arrival in New Zealand. Four were granted under the exceptional circumstances category and one under the medical needs category.”

For the few exempt from serving isolation in an MIQ facility, they are also exempt from having to pay any additional costs it may take to make their home, or other location, safe and secure.

“There are no charges for any additional measures, such as security, that are needed to be put in place for those who are granted exemptions from staying in managed isolation.”

For a returnee to be allowed to serve isolation in their home, the bar is set “extremely high”, said MBIE.

“The threshold for granting an exemption for any category is extremely high and exemptions are rare.

“This is because as a key factor in assessing any application is the public health risk of transmitting Covid-19 to the community.”

In this case, strict health and security measures were placed on the property, reflecting the level of risk home isolation potentially poses to the community compared to a managed isolation facility.

“If a returnee were to isolate at home, a compliance plan would need to be signed. Police would be required to make checks to confirm travellers are complying with their self-isolation instructions, daily health checks and day 0/1 (if required), 3 and 12 testing would also be put in place.

“Because the purpose of managed isolation is to keep our communities safe from COVID-19, and given the public health risk, there is an extremely high threshold for approving applications. The majority of applications are declined. Applications for an exemption from staying in managed isolation should be made well in advance of a returnee’s arrival in New Zealand.

“All applications are assessed on a case by case basis.”