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It may be 18 months before Kim Marsden can have her Torbay home back after it was demolished as it threatened to give way and wipe out an entire street.
A July storm packed tonnes of debris and water behind the house - which experts described as "twisted" - on Lingham Cres and also spurred the evacuation of at least 10 sets of Ms Marsden's neighbours, including on the nearby Morice Place.
The 40-year-old was in the midst of moving to Northland so most of her possessions were already packed when the three-bedroom home started slipping from its foundations.
She had found new tenants and planned on buying a new house in Dannevirke.
But because she had to terminate the tenancy she is now unable to afford a new house as she continues to pay off the mortgage at her Torbay home.
The insurance for her loss of income only covers six months. "It meant that I had a mortgage to pay and no tenants to cover that ... So I'm without that income. That was a bit of a shock, that part of it.
"And I'm still paying rates and insurance and all the other stuff, whether there's someone there or not, whether there's a house there or not. I can't do anything until my place is fixed because it has no value."
She is renting a house, which her sister owns in Dannevirke, with her 19-year-old daughter Ami.
Ms Marsden said the cost of earthworks for about five of the Lingham Cres properties is covered by the Earthquake Commission through their natural disaster insurance although residents have to pay an excess of about $5000.
The North Shore City Council is responsible for repairing sewage lines. But the work is not expected to be finished until about June which is when Ms Marsden's own insurance company will come on board for the construction of a new house which may take another year.
The commission will also put money towards the building fund.
"By that stage it will be one of the most stable areas on the North Shore because it won't be going anywhere after that, that's for sure," Ms Marsden said.
Her home was the only one demolished but the other five houses will require some repairs including replacing a garage and the demolition of a deck.
"There's no Christmas shopping this year. Everybody knows my situation."
