National appalled at leaky home injustice

new-zealand-national-party

Wed May 09 2007 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

National appalled at leaky home injustice

Wednesday, 9 May 2007, 4:44 pm
Press Release: New Zealand National Party

Bob Clarkson MP
National Party Associate Building & Construction Spokesman

9 May 2007

National MP Bob Clarkson is appalled that elderly Waitakere homeowner Colleen Dicks, awarded $251,000 by the High Court over her leaky home, has received bills totalling $281,000 from lawyers and consultants.

“This isn’t a fair go. This elderly lady was celebrating her landmark success in March think she would at long last be able to fix her leaky home,” says Mr Clarkson, National’s Associate Building & Construction spokesman.

“Her joy has turned to tears as these bills will leave her $30,000 worse off and not a dollar to fund the $220,000 of house repairs that are needed.

“This case makes a sick joke of Labour’s promise in 2005 to provide a speedy and cost effective system for leaky homeowners.

“Mrs Dicks was told that it would be nearly three years before she would get a hearing from the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service.

“This case shows the only winners under Labour’s policy for addressing leaky homes are the consultants and lawyers.

“The tragedy is that there are thousands of cases like Mrs Dicks’ case.

“Only 703 of 4,729 claims to date have been resolved, five years after the Government passed special legislation.

“The injustices are awful. The Government is failing leaky home owners.”

ENDS

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