Derelict Chch house not enough for rebuild

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Derelict Chch house not enough for rebuild

3News NZ

There are gaping holes in the ceiling, rat and dog droppings all over the floor

There are gaping holes in the ceiling, rat and dog droppings all over the floor

If you saw the inside of Scott and Rebecca Weir's Aranui home, you’d be appalled. They certainly can't live there because it's quite clearly uninhabitable.

There are mushrooms growing on the carpet – a carpet that's now green thanks to a thick layer of mould. There are gaping holes in the ceiling, rat and dog droppings all over the floor. It is quite simply a stinking, unhygienic, unliveable mess.

Up until a few weeks ago the couple thought their earthquake-damaged home was earmarked for demolition and rebuild. But the insurance company now says it can be repaired.

The couple has been left stunned and wondering how much worse it would need to be in order to be classed a rebuild.

Since the earthquakes, Campbell Live has heard from hundreds of people, desperate people, who want their stories to be told. There are just so many of them we simply can't tell them all.

But we felt this was a story that had to be told – a story that showed just how messed up things are in Christchurch at the moment. It’s a story that hopefully will get some answers out of the insurer about what is going on.

Watch the video for John Sellwood’s report.

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Comments

10/10/2012 1:14:47 p.m.

Lee Bithell wrote:

It's a shame to see people treated like that. If it's not the insurance companies it's the landlords charging over the top. The insurance companies need to pull their finger out it's not about them. They're always on the ball when they want their money. Good Luck people

10/10/2012 10:39:12 a.m.

Sarah Miles wrote:

Dear John great to see you've taken up the challenge and are starting to put some real energy into this issue- there are tens of thousands of people in these situations. Please keep the bit between your teeth and don't let go. Unfortunately 10s of 1000s of individual cases cannot be heard on a story by story basis but highlighting the problems is so important- the rest of the country needs to understand the degree of hardship and the extensiveness of the problem and the absolute dishonesty of what is taking place in this City. Thanks.

9/10/2012 10:26:57 p.m.

Craig wrote:

We are the same, told we were a rebuild in November 2010 by a Loss ajustor from State. No news for almost 2 years, reinspected last week and now we are magicly a repair!! If you have the choice please never get insurance with IAG/State,they treat there customers like crap!!

9/10/2012 5:17:51 p.m.

Murray wrote:

Hi, We live down the Old TaiTapu road near the Halwell River. We like many
others in TC3 have made NO real progress all . Yes we have the $100k + GST - the
1% and the $20k - 1% ( contents ) and another 8k for around the house damage all from EQC. At the start EQC and IAG said it was a rebuild.
Now well it could be repaired by taking halve the house down ( IAG ) but
we can not do anything until the TC3 Drill tests are done. I have had 20
people around here, most are unqualified idiots and so it goes on. Two years nothing done. This is just bullshit !
Yes I have looked at the lawyers, This may be our last resort. We are very lucky we can at least live in our house. I have spent Thousands of dollars doing so and hundreds of hours of my own time!

What makes me even more mad a brand new house has been finished across the road. I look at it every day. The Selwyn District Council says there is nothing to stop us building a new house, starting real soon !

Thanks for nothing IAG

Murray

9/10/2012 2:27:08 p.m.

Julia wrote:

this is just typical take your money but dont do anything , its terrible this should be bulldozed and re built

9/10/2012 10:36:47 a.m.

Mary wrote:

Time has made this damage even worse, why no tarpaulin or covering put in place to try at least to protect the inside?. How dare insurance companies treat their policy holders in this way, this didn't happen last week - it has been 20 months, their negligence has made this house beyond being 'fixed', -demolish and rebuild and let this family get a life back. Disgusted.

8/10/2012 11:23:37 p.m.

Warren wrote:

Just how many times are IAG/State going to go on tv and explain (with a straight face) why they are not 'doing the right thing'. Just how much longer are the people of ChCh going to be treated like this? I certainly hope that the rest of NZ is taking note - IAG/State are doing this kind of stuff to their customers.

8/10/2012 11:21:21 p.m.

Hilary wrote:

I feel SO sorry for this couple. We are supposedly on IAG's priority list as our house is unliveable, but we are still waiting for our rebuild to begin - in fact IAG/State keep saying that they are waiting for this report or that report and they never order them at the same time. They say they want one and then, when that is received, say "oh, we now need this". It has been one delay after another and I'm so 'over' IAG (State). I don't know how Dean MacGregor can get in front of the camera and 'spin' the company line like this. It is 'disgusting' what is happening in Christchurch and even more disgusting that the Govt is standing back and allowing insurers to fail to live up to their policy commitments.

8/10/2012 10:28:22 p.m.

Paula wrote:

After watching this video, I AM appalled. Just when is the govt going to step in and demand more of insurers?

8/10/2012 10:26:14 p.m.

Michael wrote:

Thanks for sharing this story. It is sad and it is happening to 1000's of families in Christchurch. My own family included. It is hard to deal with but we wont give up without a fight.