Police officer's concern over pregnant squatter in derelict house

The woman is living in this house, with no electricity or running water, and Granity constable Greg Sherie is worried about her. Photo / supplied

A police officer is concerned a pregnant woman is living in unsafe conditions in a rundown West Coast house -- but the Buller District Council won't do anything about it.

Granity constable Greg Sherie wrote to the council of his concerns about the "derelict" house at Mokihinui.

He told the council the house was in poor condition and structurally unsound. It was rotten and not weather tight.

The house had no electricity connection or running water, and did not appear to have any functioning bathroom or ablution facilities.

He said a pregnant woman was squatting there and had allegedly been causing domestic issues with her neighbour, which was why he had become involved.

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He told the council he believed the house was a safety risk to anyone entering it and a health risk to anyone living there.

Mr Sherie said the council directed him not to release its response to The Westport News.

The News asked council's community and environmental services manager Craig Scanlon whether it had inspected the house, whether the house was safe to live in and what role council had in such situations.

Mr Scanlon said the council did not intend to involve itself in such civil matters.

Mr Sherie told The News the pregnant woman's father owned the house. The father and daughter stayed there off and on by choice as it cost them nothing. However, Mr Sherie believed they would be able to get financial assistance from Work and Income if they wanted better housing.