KEY POINTS:
About 400 Auckland University students are being forced out of a large Quay Park block because of problems which will cost more than $1 million to fix.
The students are living in the 230-unit Railway Campus, which was a major conversion and extension of the former Auckland Railway Station.
But director of student administration Dr Wayne Clark said yesterday major work taking up to 12 months was required to repair defective workmanship in the building.
Martyn Tiller, the block's body corporate secretary at Crockers, said the entire roof had to be replaced because it leaked. But there were also serious structural issues with the building.
"Then we need to look at the additions and the way they were put on top of the building," he said. "The old roof was just left there and patched."
Dr Clark said alternative accommodation was being arranged for the students. The building is owned privately through a body corporate and 169 investors bought units there, hoping for good rental income. The university leases space from those investors who have now decided collectively to shut the building while repairs are carried out.
Many of the students spoken to at the campus yesterday had not heard the building would be closed next year, although one had received an email about it. The Weekend Herald was told information in a letter had been dropped in their post boxes yesterday. Siti Noraini Esa, a 21-year-old maths student, had not heard and said she would have to find a new home next year.
From Malaysia, she was unsure how difficult that might prove. She paid $114 per week for her room in a two bedroom apartment, which included power and water.
Most of the 420 students at the campus were international students, she said.
Another from Malaysia, Fatimah Abu Bakar, said she did not plan on staying in the campus next year anyway, but many of her friends were. "It shouldn't be a problem. There are plenty of apartments."
- Additional reporting Angela Gregory
