House-rot victims urged to act quickly

Home Owners and Buyers Association chief executive Roger Levie. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Thousands of leaky-home victims could miss out on Government and council help if they do not register claims by next week.

Home Owners and Buyers Association chief executive Roger Levie said people should act quickly because claimants had until next Friday to advise the Department of Building and Housing they wished to be assessed for eligibility for the Government's new financial aid scheme.

"The deadline is more an administrative matter than anything else," he said.

"The Crown and the councils are trying to determine how many existing claimants are likely to take up the package.

"It is very important for existing claimants who want to keep the package option open that they notify the department in writing that they wish to have their eligibility checked," Mr Levie said.

"This will not commit them to taking the package if they decide an alternative approach will provide a better outcome."

An official speaking for Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said the department had been thorough in letting people know about the deadline.

"[It] is contacting the homeowners via letter, email and telephone to make them aware of the deadline."

Eligible homeowners can get half their repair costs from the Government and councils through the scheme which started on July 29.

By the start of this month, the department had handled hundreds of calls and the website www.leakyhomes.govt.nz had more than 11,000 hits. More than 2200 claimants had indicated their interest in the package, the department said.

About 70 per cent of claims came from Auckland, 20 per cent from Wellington and Tauranga and the rest from Hamilton, Christchurch, Whangarei, Hurunui, Taupo and Kapiti Coast.

Mr Levie said 50,000 to 100,000 houses were outside the 10-year limit.

Plugging leaks

Leaky homes financial aid:

* 200 victims qualified for $23m
* $18m from the Government
* $5m from local councils
* Most claims from Auckland
* Wellington and Tauranga rank high
Source: Department of Building and Housing, figures from July 29 to October 4.