Leaky homes causing intense stress

BY JOHN HARTEVELT

A Christchurch couple were put on suicide watch after going through six years of litigation to fix their leaky home.

"What people are forgetting is the absolute damage it causes to people, and that's something I see first-hand," Christchurch builder Steve Hotton said.

"I'm no longer a builder or a remediation expert; I've become more of a psychologist dealing with it all."

Hotton, who has repaired 27 leaky homes and is working on four more, said measures, such as home warranty insurance, raised by the Government would have to be part of a series of measures to help leaky home owners.

"I've had clients on suicide watch and I've had clients end up in hospital through stress.

"I've watched grown men and prominent men in Christchurch sitting in the corner wiping the tears out of their eyes because they can't handle it."

A Christchurch couple, who cannot be named, spent an estimated $200,000 repairing their leaky home.

"They had a problem with their home for nearly six years. They were ordered out of the house by their doctor because they both ended up in hospital.

"They're OK now. They were put on suicide watch and I was getting rung quite regularly," Hotton said.

"They've come out of their shell, but they're never going to be the same people. How can they be?"

The couple eventually negotiated a settlement, the details of which must remain secret.

Latest figures from the Department of Building and Housing show 6403 properties nationwide have lodged claims with the Government's Weathertight Homes Resolution Service. The 223 claims on properties in Christchurch represent 85 per cent of all claims in the South Island.

The Building Amendment Bill (No2) had its first reading in Parliament last week. The bill, which aims to streamline the building consent process, would be one of a series of changes, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said.

"The Government will also be looking at how liability and risk around building is distributed between parties and how it might be better managed. This will include looking at home warranty insurance," Williamson said.

The Press understands a review of options for a Government-sanctioned home warranty insurance scheme where homeowners can cover the risk of faulty construction is under way.

In New South Wales there is a compulsory home warranty scheme for properties valued at more than A$12,000.

Home warranty insurance is already offered by Master Builders and the Certified Builders Association.

Master Builders chief executive Warwick Quinn said insurance was popular.

However, it should not be compulsory and it should not be statutorily driven by the Government, Quinn said.

"Home warranties isn't a golden bullet."

- © Fairfax NZ News