The Department of Internal Affairs

Te Tari Taiwhenua | Department of Internal Affairs

Building a safe, prosperous and respected nation



 

Weathertight Homes Resolution Service – latest figures


7/4/2005

The Weathertight Homes Resolution Service (WHRS) has 2,173 active claims, WHRS National Manager, Dr Lisa Ferguson, said today. The WHRS was set up to help resolve disputes over “leaky homes”.

Assessments to determine eligibility for the Service and the extent of property damage are provided at no cost to homeowners. To date 1,988 assessment reports have been sent to homeowners. If claims are eligible homeowners can choose to use the WHRS’s voluntary mediation process, opt for compulsory adjudication, or decide to take no further action. Homeowners are required to pay $200 towards the cost of mediation and $400 towards the cost of adjudication.

The WHRS has completed 279 resolutions: 180 using mediation, 21 through adjudication and 78 resolved by other means. The mediation and adjudication processes are underway for a further 434 homeowners. An additional 842 homeowners have had their cases deemed eligible by the WHRS Evaluation Panel and have yet to decide whether to proceed to mediation or adjudication.

The WHRS freephone help line 0800 116 926 operates Monday to Friday from 8.30am – 7.00pm. To date 10,387 calls have been received.

The table below shows a breakdown of active claims by the region in which they occur.

Territorial Authority Region
Active claims as at 7 April 2005
Ashburton District Council
1
Auckland City Council
1001
Banks Peninsula District Council
1
Buller District Council
0
Carterton District Council
1
Central Hawkes Bay District Council
0
Central Otago District Council
4
Chatham Islands Council
0
Christchurch City Council
135
Clutha District Council
0
Dunedin City Council
7
Far North District Council
10
Franklin District Council
7
Gisborne District Council
2
Gore District Council
0
Grey District Council
1
Hamilton City Council
24
Hastings District Council
5
Hauraki District Council
2
Horowhenua District Council
1
Hurunui District Council
0
Hutt City Council (Lower Hutt)
14
Invercargill City Council
2
Kaikoura District Council
0
Kaipara District Council
0
Kapiti Coast District Council
22
Kawerau District Council
0
MacKenzie District Council
1
Manawatu District Council
1
Manukau City Council
59
Marlborough District Council
6
Masterton District Council
0
Matamata-Piako District Council
0
Napier City Council
6
Nelson City Council
6
New Plymouth District Council
9
North Shore City Council
287
Opotiki District Council
0
Otorohanga District Council
1
Palmerston North City Council
10
Papakura District Council
2
Porirua City Council
18
Queenstown-Lakes District Council
10
Rangitikei District Council
0
Rodney District Council
86
Rotorua District Council
4
Ruapehu District Council
0
Selwyn District Council
5
South Taranaki District Council
0
South Waikato District Council
0
South Wairarapa District Council
0
Southland District Council
2
Stratford District Council
0
Tararua District Council
0
Tasman District Council
6
Taupo District Council
3
Tauranga City Council
50
Thames-Coromandel District Council
8
Timaru District Council
6
Upper Hutt City Council
4
Waikato District Council
2
Waimakariri District Council
6
Waimate District Council
0
Waipa District Council
2
Wairoa District Council
0
Waitakere City Council
95
Waitaki District Council
0
Waitomo District Council
0
Wanganui District Council
5
Wellington City Council
196
Western Bay of Plenty District Council
6
Westland District Council
1
Whakatane District Council
10
Whangarei District Council
20
TOTAL
2,173

Media information: The WHRS media release is issued each fortnight. If you would like to receive updates at other times, please call the number below.

              Kate Harray
              Communications Adviser
              Weathertight Homes Resolution Service
              Phone: 04 460 5417