Your experiences with the Chch EQC

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Wed, 06 Apr 2011 7:00p.m.

Christchurch locals share their experiences with the EQC

Christchurch locals share their experiences with the EQC

On Monday night Campbell Live spoke with Ian Simpson from the EQC, who told us the authority had done 130,000 quake damage assessments in Christchurch.

Mr Simpson said the EQC had received just 300 complaints.

Almost immediately, Campbell Live received more than 300 complaints about the EQC – and they kept coming.

Phone calls, emails, letters, Tweets, Facebook messages and so on.

Some of the complaints were deeply personal. Others, very angry.

One included security camera footage of the EQC inspection one house received. The home owners are furious.

So many people were upset, that today Campbell Live parked a campervan in downtown Christchurch and invited people to talk about their experiences with EQC.

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Comments

03 Feb 2012 02:54p.m.

Shameful wrote:

Perhaps this story could be revisited almost a year on to see how much worse it has got dealing with EQC and the bureacractic nightmare that is CERA / EQC & ERC. People walking out of meetings reduced to tears, smug decision makers are playing games and cannot give a straight answer to anything. They really should be ashamed of themselves and the Government needs to do more. Christchurch is dying and not as a direct result of the earthquakes.

03 Feb 2012 02:45p.m.

Rachael wrote:

Our situation red zoned house in Avonside moved out of it finally in November. Purchased in beckenham knowing about cosmetic damage and some replacement GIB an ceiling work required. December quake Caused significantly more damage. Floor sunk and raised concrete from fireplaces . Chimney now needs to be removed, and our doors won't close properly. I'm my own mind I know it's not right! EQC came back at our request. Did not look at the chimney - did not measure movement. And will only be repairing like for like unless we can PROVE the floor and doors are a result of Dec quake? We now are in the process of getting an independent survey before we can continue. Whilst EQC are pricing our repairs....they also wanted to over board our ceilings with plasterboard- I'm no builder but surely this adds significant weight to house that is not foundation sound....NZ needs to invest in there properties not cosmetically fix it. Let's hope nothing bad happens in the future. Patience is my best friend. All will be sorted just a disappointment the repairs and assessments are not being conducted thoroughly why is TIME such a rush? I would personally like it all just done correctly!

12 Apr 2011 06:54p.m.

ang wrote:

i know eqc are busy but how long does it take to press the pay button on there computers my contents claim has been with the payments team for 3-4 weeks all they keep telling me is that its on the high priority list but cant give me a time frame the whole reason i pay insurance is so when something like this happens i can replace the stuff damaged in my house and get back to "normality" why are these pay outs taking so long?

07 Apr 2011 06:50p.m.

Angie Elliot wrote:

Hi John thank you for your programme last night _ I learned that any assessment made before the Feb 22 earthquake but not paid out was now invalid - I did not know that before your programme last evening - here is my situation - I have a house that was damaged in the Sept 4th shake - I was assessed on the 9th Feb 2011 but I have had no payout or correspondence since - my house is not damaged further in the Feb quake except for original cracks are worse - what I gather from your programme last night is that I now go back to square one but I cannot make a new claim because my damage was caused on sept 4th and if I put in a new claim then I will be outside of the claim period and I would be claiming for damage that did not occur in the Feb quake so how do I get my original cliam reinstated as it invalid and has already been processed but for being paid out????

07 Apr 2011 06:27p.m.

Peter wrote:

I work for EQC. All i have had to deal with is people being very impatient!! EQC has a procedure to follow. Just because everything isn't happening in their time, it doesn't mean that nothing is happening at all. Why can't people just be patient, why don't people go over to japan to see and feel their problems. People will get their money when their houses are re-assesed. There is more than just the ONE of you that has damaged properties. All i have to say is people of CHCH, BE PATIENT!!

07 Apr 2011 04:25p.m.

Helen wrote:

I have absolutely nothing positive to say about EQC. We had no damage from the Sept quake, but our house was red stickered after Feb's quake. We have been unable to access anything from the house (including all our clothes) and have been roaming from friend's house to friend's house before finally finding a place to rent. There is no way to contact the EQC direct and our financial situation is dire .... all we have received to date is $1000 from our insurance company, but have had to buy some clothes, pay for rental deposit and a month's rent in advance and discovered that the CCC have withdrawn over $900 from our a/c for rates? We have spoken with at least 5 different people at the EQC and each time have to go through our whole situation again (in detail). Anything we had have left in savings will be gone in a couple more weeks ... meanwhile we are waiting!

07 Apr 2011 02:54p.m.

Annie Mouse wrote:

EQC has legal responsibilties to carry out. The problem is that they cannot fulfil these responsibilties because they are dysfunctional in every respect. The real issue is how to have the responsibility for the post quake repair work taken away from the EQC as quickly as possible. This is no small task and desperately requires govt to act - fast. The EQC is doing more harm than good so please MR Key, do something quick! I have many properties oin Christchurch so my experience is not mkinor.

07 Apr 2011 02:21p.m.

Suzy d wrote:

John many thanks for airing this ghastly mess eqc have cre ated for many who have suffered major damage to their homes in a normal situation people would be accountable for their mistakes why is it eqc staff engineers and loss adjusters are getting away with these blunders they are messing with peoples financial futures in your next airing of this could you name the culprits who hav missed quoted their names are documented on assesments eqc seem to be standing their ground and are backing these people that are making massive mistakes.Thank you again for bringing this incompetant organisation into the public eye.For what its worth I think this could well cost the National Party the next election,they are responsible for the governance of eqc.keep up the great work

07 Apr 2011 01:11p.m.

David B C wrote:

Are people mistaking the Rapid Assessment performed und Operation Suburb with an EQC evaluation. Immediately after the quakes Building Inspectors and their teams, including an EQC person visited the households to determine if the house was structurally sound, the people were emotional sound and to get a quick snapshot of the damage. Building may have been damaged, but if was not in danger of falling down or being hit by other buildings or rocks, they were deemed okay. After the February quake, if the owners were not home, a printed memo was left stating we had been there and their house was fine for habitation. No letter was intended to be sent out detailing the damage. Campbell did a story on the Operation Suburb. Maybe their is confusion amongst the public about what this operation was about.

07 Apr 2011 01:11p.m.

David B C wrote:

Are people mistaking the Rapid Assessment performed und Operation Suburb with an EQC evaluation. Immediately after the quakes Building Inspectors and their teams, including an EQC person visited the households to determine if the house was structurally sound, the people were emotional sound and to get a quick snapshot of the damage. Building may have been damaged, but if was not in danger of falling down or being hit by other buildings or rocks, they were deemed okay. After the February quake, if the owners were not home, a printed memo was left stating we had been there and their house was fine for habitation. No letter was intended to be sent out detailing the damage. Campbell did a story on the Operation Suburb. Maybe their is confusion amongst the public about what this operation was about.