Family thrilled to move on from dripping disaster

Wilna White, with daughter Shani, 12, says leaving their leaky home has changed their outlook. Photo / Dean Purcell

The Whites of Whangaparaoa have left their leaky home and say it was one of their best moves.

Paul and Wilna White, British migrants who won $346,002 compensation after buying 6 Castaway Place, are renting and hope to sell their house.

They featured in a British newspaper highlighting the plight of migrants who were aiming for a better life here.

The family left Barton-le-Clay outside Luton, arriving in December 2001. Drawn to Auckland's beaches, they bought near the sea but soon found themselves cast adrift in the rotting-homes crisis.

The rot was so bad that a child fell part-way through an exterior deck.

For nine years they fought for compensation, claiming $475,000 in the Weathertight Homes Tribunal, winning just $173,000 initially until their appeal doubled that.

They now plan to sell Castaway Place, advertising it as defective.

"I made a decision to yank my family out of that wreck and rent a smaller place nearby," said Mrs White.

"It is one of the best decisions I ever made. It has changed our perspectives so much.

"We are now clearing the wreck up and are then going to sell the house as-is, well advertised as being a leaky home."