By Jeff Hampton
The Christchurch City Council is in for a fight from homeowners who are being charged for obstructing footpaths after propping up quake-damaged fences.
The fee of more than $50 a month is being imposed where fences are being propped up with supports on council land.
Christchurch resident Amanda Bradley thought she was doing the right thing having her unstable fence propped, and says the fee has left her in “utter disbelief”.
“Obviously the propping is no fault of our own, the fence was broken in February's earthquake and within a couple of days we had it propped to protect anyone passing by,” she says.
Her insurance company won’t take the fence down until her house has been assessed – but Ms Bradley lives in the Sumner white zone, and any inspection could be months away.
A council letter states a site fee of $53.29 per month will be incurred from late October until the site is cleared.
Ms Bradley says she wishes the Council would "just drop it".
"I would like to think that they won't charge us and would
see it as damage from the earthquake. We're making no gain."
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