# Pepperwood Mews - another NZ building travesty



## topcat83 (Apr 16, 2009)

New Zealand has had some problems with its new buildings in the past - and one of the things I do NOT like about NZ is the way that the 'establishment' tries to wash its hands of all responsibility when things go wrong.

Take the case of Pepperwood Mews.... 

They are a block of 32 apartments built about 6-7 years ago by Housing New Zealand (who provide the equivalent of council houses). They encouraged investors to purchase the properties based on an understanding that they were built to a high standard set by HNZ and that this was low risk with a guarantee of 10-year HNZ leases. 

What's happened is the block has been condemned, and HNZ, and Auckland Council (who would have been checking the build quality and signing off on it as they went) have denied all responsibility for it. 

I ask you? If it's not them, then who is responsible? If, as an average 'joe bloggs' you were asking a builder to build a house for you, you would be relying on your inspectors to tell you that it was being built well. 

See Court to decide on 32 faulty flats - National - NZ Herald News

Then on top of all that, the poor owners (who had to move out 1.5 years ago, but carry on paying the mortgages) have had thieves in, posing as 'demolition workers'. Over $500k of fittings have been removed. I originally thought it was funny, until I thought about the effect on these people who are already under so much stress.

See Daring thieves steal the lot - National - NZ Herald News. 

The lesson here is - as you know from my posts - I love NZ and the vast majority of new buildings and builders are now a good quality. But don't assume, and if you can get some individual inspections done too. I think the Council building inspectors have been way too lax through the last couple of decades.


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