Napier property owners given a year to get earthquake risk assessments on their buildings are likely to have the deadline extended another two years because there aren't enough structural engineers to do the work.
The problem is highlighted in a report for a Napier City Council meeting, revealing fewer than 20 per cent of the mainly CBD owners who received assessment order notices last year had met the deadline.
Of the 239 notices sent to building owners on May 17 last year, 67 were sent in error because of inaccurate details on a data base, and just 34 assessments were submitted.
The report said that like the nine respondents with buildings found to be earthquake-prone, the 138 still required to submit assessments could have been given 10 years to carry-out restrengthening to a level required.
A council meeting is being asked to change policy which at present doesn't allow for extension of the assessment timeframe.
