However, a senior Dunedin City Council manager is still refusing to discuss their claim in detail, or say whether their request for a new rental "safe house" to live in - paid for by the council - will be considered.
Roy Faris, of Faris Consulting, Alexandra, has written to the owners of 36 Leithton Close, Glenleith, after spending two days inspecting their home for the WHRS earlier this week.
His letter warned elements of the construction of a large two-storeyed atrium window in the home's living area were "far from normal", with evidence of "extreme" flexing found.
That meant the windows were at risk of failure, he warned.
The owners - Michael Beazley, opera singer Deborah Wai Kapohe and their children - bought the house in December last year, after checking it had a code of compliance certificate from the council.
The certificate was issued in 2005, confirming the building met New Zealand building code requirements.
However, Mr Faris' letter said the structure of the windows' frame was "well outside the scope" of building rules, and "not compliant".
The stability of the windows was outside the scope of the WHRS assessment, but the extreme movement also raised weathertightness issues, he said.
"Even [though] the unit has now been in place for several years, I find I have a duty of care to advise that in my opinion the extent of movement to the window and side timber framing is far from normal and the potential for a failure caused by the flexing exists."
Mr Faris' inspection and letter followed a visit to the home by the Otago Daily Times last month, during which Mr Beazley shook the window frames to demonstrate how the entire two-storeyed structure "flapped like a sail" in high winds.
Mr Faris' letter recommended the family engage the services of a structural engineer to investigate the design, construction and condition of the window and its frame.
The letter was received by the family yesterday and released to the ODT, but the full WHRS report into the rest of the home's condition is yet to be completed.
Mr Faris declined to comment when contacted, but Mr Beazley said the report showed the window was "an absolute shocker" and should not have been signed off by the council.
"The window is not even close to being compliant."
The WHRS claims process required him to arrange and pay for repairs within a reasonable timeframe, or risk damage to his claim.
However, Mr Beazley doubted tradesmen would want to become embroiled in a leaky home repair job when costs were yet to be resolved, raising doubts about how long the family could remain in their home.
In the meantime, he wanted the council to reconsider providing another rental home for his family, while the WHRS process took its course.
The couple have already written to the council to request help, but received a letter back last week declining to discuss their concerns.
Council city environment general manager Tony Avery was contacted about the latest findings, but refused to say whether their request could be reconsidered.
"We haven't seen the letter, I'm not dealing with this matter through the media, and I'm not making any other comment. It's as pure and simple as that."
The family have lodged a claim with the WHRS, and an inspection by a staff member from Auckland-based recladding specialist Reconstruct found the home to be at the "moderate to severe" end of the spectrum of leaky homes.
Earlier this week, Mr Beazley said the council was also likely to be the target of a claim through the courts for a "sizeable" six-figure sum.
Mr Avery has said any court claim would be "vigorously" defended.
