Owners of Unsafe Properties Urged to Contact Insurers

Almost four hundred homes in Kaiapoi and Pines Beach/Kairaki are now under restricted access or are considered unsafe, for structural or sanitary reasons.

That’s a little under a quarter of the 1,843 residential properties so far assessed.

97 residential properties have been red stickered requiring residents to leave.

274 have issues that are not are not considered serious enough to pose a health or safety issue

55 commercial premises are also either under restrictions or unsafe.

Waimakariri Civil Defence Controller, David Ayers, says affected residents and business owners should have made contact or be making contact with the Earthquake Commission and their own insurance companies.

“Our initial assessments have only been to ensure the health and safety of residents in their homes. That status can change if we are able to remedy the issue – by providing water or sewage options, for example, such as portaloos.

“Home owners whose properties have clearly suffered structural damage need now to begin the formal process for damage assessment. That must be done through the Earthquake Commission and their own insurance company.”

“The Council’s focus remains on repairing and restoring damaged infrastructure, including water mains, sewers, and roads in the earthquake affected areas.”

15 teams of building assessors including building inspectors and roading engineers from neighbouring councils remain in the community completing property assessments.

They move into the Kaiapoi Lakes area and surrounding communities today.

Anyone having to leave their home is asked to secure their property the best they can and monitor the Waimakariri District Council website for updates on the status of their neighbourhood as the clean-up and recovery continues.

ENDS

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