A Christchurch lawyer has filed papers in the High Court seeking a ruling on the Earthquake Commission's responsibility over failed earthquake repairs.
It comes after a family purchased a home that had been fixed only to find more signs of damage and botched repairs.
It should have been the Hanafin's dream home, but it's beginning to show signs of shoddy earthquake repairs.
When they bought the house they were told all the repairs were signed off and finished. Georgie Hanafin says EQC had provided documentation to say the repair work had all been completed, and nothing was wrong the the piles or foundations.
But now their dream is turning into a nightmare.
Within months of purchase, Ms Hanafin found cracks in the foundations. They were fixed by EQC at a cost of one thousand dollars.
The repairs following the Christchurch earthquake appear to have failed - they say the house is sinking, causing it to twist and crack.
They can't afford to move out or to sell the house, and Ms Hanafin says they are stuck.
The Hanafins bought the house four years ago for $360 thousand dollars, borrowing $330 thousand dollars. Today it's valued at just $190 thousand dollars.
Lawyer Andrew Hooker has filed papers in the Christchurch High Court on behalf of 20 property owners in the same situation.
Mr Hooker is seeking a ruling on what exactly EQC's responsibility is. "EQC are the only people who should be paying. It's their fault the repairs are botched and they won't pay," he says.
EQC says the empathise with home owners buying houses that aren't up to scratch. EQC customers and claims manager says "We're here for the long run, we're here to put it right."
Ms Hanafin has this message: "I want the house that EQC told us we were buying."
Newshub.
