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


5/5/2005

The Weathertight Homes Resolution Service (WHRS) has 2,261 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 2,092 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 305 resolutions: 195 using mediation, 23 through adjudication and 87 resolved by other means. The mediation and adjudication processes are underway for a further 430 homeowners. An additional 894 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 10,630 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 5 May 2005
Ashburton District Council
1
Auckland City Council
1,080
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
126
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
25
Hastings District Council
4
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
21
Kawerau District Council
0
MacKenzie District Council
1
Manawatu District Council
1
Manukau City Council
60
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
297
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
4
Tauranga City Council
52
Thames-Coromandel District Council
8
Timaru District Council
6
Upper Hutt City Council
4
Waikato District Council
2
Waimakariri District Council
7
Waimate District Council
0
Waipa District Council
2
Wairoa District Council
0
Waitakere City Council
92
Waitaki District Council
0
Waitomo District Council
0
Wanganui District Council
5
Wellington City Council
205
Western Bay of Plenty District Council
6
Westland District Council
1
Whakatane District Council
9
Whangarei District Council
19
TOTAL
2261

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.

              Communications Adviser
              Weathertight Homes Resolution Service
              Phone: 04 460 5417