Property value fears scare homeowners off leaky home inquiry

6.15pm

Owners of leaking homes have shied away from making public submissions to a Parliamentary inquiry, apparently fearing it would harm their property's value.

The Government ordered a select committee inquiry, as well as setting up a voluntary mediation service for homeowners facing big bills to repair leaking and rotting houses.

Fewer submissions than expected had been received, Government Administration select committee chairwoman Dianne Yates said today.

"It's not a huge number," she said.

Select committee rules prevented her saying exactly how many there were.

Submissions are now closed.

"There are not as many as I might have expected, but that may be because people are going to mediation, through the Government's mediation service on individual cases," Ms Yates said.

"Some people are concerned that if they went public it might affect the price of their house."

She said National Party housing spokesman Wayne Mapp had told her of those concerns.

National yesterday said it had delivered almost 100 submissions to the inquiry.

Ms Yates said she could not give a timeline until the committee meets next Thursday.

Some submissions may never be made public as they can be heard in private, or in secret.

It was likely committee hearings would be held outside Parliament -- probably in Auckland and Christchurch -- provided Speaker Jonathan Hunt permitted that.

Hearings will not start until the House comes back from a two-week recess in early November.

Hearings may begin in the first week of November, but must first be approved by the business committee, which doesn't sit until early November.

- NZPA

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Further reading
Feature: Leaky buildings

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