Chris and Nicky Wordsworth have demolished their decaying $310,000 North Shore house. The Wordsworths say they are unable to seek a single cent in compensation, and have cut their losses.
It took only two days late last year for the disillusioned British migrants to be rid of their leaky and severely defective house in Torbay's Ashley Ave.
The property is listed by QV as being worth $550,000: a $310,000 house, which is now demolished, standing on a $240,000 section.
Few of an estimated 80,000 leaking houses nationally have been destroyed because owners attempt repairs, but even those are failing in many cases.
John Gray, president of the Home Owners and Buyers Association, expects thousands more houses will be demolished in the next two years.
"There won't be a choice. The scope and cost of work will put owners in a position where it will be more cost-effective to demolish," said Mr Gray, whose organisation is helping 2000-plus leaky-home victims.
As the Wordsworths watched their house being razed, they felt vindicated because they saw how extensive the rot was. Once cladding was ripped off, they could see the internal wood framing around windows and doors was black, Mrs Wordsworth said.
They were so disillusioned with the house they bought in 2006 after they left York that they have contracted to build a new place, which they hope to move into during April.
Before the demolition, they had wasted $40,000 attempting repairs to a crumbling deck on the family house which had funnelled torrents of water directly into a daughter's bedroom during one heavy downpour.
Mrs Wordsworth was in England when she learned that so much water had poured through a light fitting that a bucket could not keep pace with it so a pipe was fitted to divert the downpour outside.
The house was only built this decade and was fully compliant with a code compliance certificate issued by a private certifier.
"We have been to see solicitors and everywhere we turn we come to a full stop. Everyone who was involved in our house appears to have flitted the country or gone into liquidation.
"Eventually, after all the stress, we decided to just go ahead and fix the house. Once we researched it, we found that it wasn't much difference to knock it down and rebuild.
"To pay for some of it we have cashed in our pension and the rest will be additional to the mortgage we already have," Mrs Wordsworth said.
The couple had a full builder's inspection report before buying the house as well as readouts from moisture meters which showed no issues.
The Weathertight Homes Resolution Service offered little hope and a barrister advised the couple it would cost about $150,000 in court costs to take a case.
"Both my husband and I feel really let down by the systems in New Zealand and [we] feel angry that no-one is taking responsibility. The house was only five years old when we bought it, and we had only been living in it for five months when it started to leak.
"Although we don't regret moving here, we both feel this has changed our whole lives and feel very much alone as everyone has washed their hands of the problem.
"Deep down, I hope there is light at the end of the tunnel in relation to this mess, and the more people we talk to, the better chance we have of getting ourselves heard," she said.
However, Mr Grey said the couple could have got money had they contacted his organisation, which would have charged about $20,000 and used the Ministry of Justice's Weathertight Homes Tribunal to get compensation.
The North Shore Council could well be liable, Mr Grey said, even though a private certifier was used. "Now they've demolished, it's too late."
Weathertight Homes Resolution Service:
-Had 5646 claims by January 4, 2009.
-These were lodged on 6399 properties.
-Assessments completed on 6056 places.
-Eligibility of 185 claims being assessed.
-Resolution being pursued on 1572 claims.
-Auckland City has 966 active claims.
-North Shore has 230 claims.
-Waitakere has 353 claims.
