'No end' to costs for leaky homes owner
26 May 10Peter Crestani has paid the costs of his leaky home in so many ways that he's nearly lost count.
Now the prospect of rates increases to help councils pay for their mistakes will be yet another hit to his pocket.
The Wellington recruitment company owner and his family bought their Ngaio home new in 2000. Two years later, they found out it leaked.
That was the start of a legal battle that cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars, a seven-month stay away from their home and years of stress. "It was bloody terrible. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. It was extremely stressful, drawn-out, and fraught with dealing with expensive lawyers on all sides."
Mr Crestani reached a settlement over the problem last year, but a confidentiality agreement prevents him from talking about it.
Having to pay higher rates to cover Wellington City Council's liabilities would be ironic, considering all the other ways he had already paid the council, he said.
First, there were the building inspections, "which weren't done properly". Then, once he had the house fixed, there was the cost of more inspections of the new work.
"Then you're going to get caught again with rate increases."
Even so, he supported greater compensation for people dealing with leaky homes and said he would pay the rates increases. "There's nothing I can do about it, so I'm philosophical about it."
He would probably not have taken up the latest combined offer of 50 per cent compensation from local councils and the Government if it had been available to him, he said.
"Why would we cough up for half when it wasn't our fault?"
Source: The Dominion Post
