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A new organisation to help leaky home victims has been launched by a lawyer who defended many city councils against home owners.
Steve Jameson, an Albany solicitor, says he started the Leaky Homes Community Trust which would seek up to $1 million funding from the Government, business and community organisations to help victims.
But he is also planning to charge a standard $2300 plus GST to represent victims at the Government's Weathertight Homes Resolution Service to the point of mediation or adjudication.
Mr Jameson said when he worked at law firm Heany & Co, he had defended many city councils against leaky building claims brought by home owners. Victims were either failing with their claims or getting inadequate compensation because they did not understand the complicated legal system, he said.
"The claimants are getting cleaned up right, left and centre, signing settlement agreements which are not enough to make a start on fixing their homes," he said.
"They're going through the service without a lawyer and sitting on the other side are councils. I've seen what happens to a number of home owners who are out of their element."
John Gray of the established Leaky Homes Action Group, the largest organisation representing victims, said he approved of any assistance which could be given to victims.
Mr Gray used the service successfully and without a lawyer to win his own case in Ponsonby. But he said he did not have enough time to provide assistance to all victims.
Mr Jameson said the Leaky Homes Action Group had focused on pushing for Government reforms and he intended to help victims rather than push for law changes.
Mr Gray said he had liaised closely with Mr Jameson during the last few months and said it was originally his idea to start up a charitable organisation to help victims. Some action group members had problems dealing with Mr Jameson because they had been in conflict with him when he had worked at Heany & Co, Mr Gray said.
How the system works
* The Government funds the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service.
* It helps leaky building victims resolve their issues at little cost.
* The service provides free initial assessments of leaky houses.
* Victims pay $200 to use the mediation service or $400 for adjudication.
* Victims often cannot afford lawyers - but councils and others wheel out big-gun legal experts.
