*ARCHIVE* - Principal Mediator appointed to Weathertight Homes Resolution Service - 07 Feb 2003
Wellington barrister Geoff Sharp has been appointed Principal Mediator of the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service (WHRS), set up to help owners of leaky homes.
Announcing the appointment, WHRS National Manager David Curry said: “With his very relevant qualifications and considerable experience in a wide range of mediation roles, Geoff Sharp is well placed to lead the Service’s mediation team”.
A former litigation partner with legal firm Bell Gully, Mr Sharp now specialises in commercial mediation. He runs a private mediation practice and is on the mediation panels of a range of organisations and Government agencies.
Mr Curry said the WHRS currently has 15 mediators available around the country and will be appointing more. “We are also well advanced in establishing our panel of adjudicators.”
The WHRS has received 403 applications covering 781 dwellings around the country (see regional breakdown below). A total of 2,183 calls have been received by the Service’s help line - 0800 116 926.
“Applications are continuing to come in steadily from around the country,” Mr Curry said. “The figures show that a significant number of homeowners are looking for help from the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service.
“Case managers are liaising with affected home owners and cases are being progressively referred to assessors who provide free, independent assessments of property damage.
“All assessors are qualified Building Research Association (BRANZ) Advisers or New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors (NZIBS) Members who have successfully completed an approved weathertightness training course.”
Once homes are assessed, homeowners can choose to use the WHRS’s voluntary mediation process or opt for compulsory adjudication.
Mr Curry said the WHRS was committed to meeting its confidentiality obligation to homeowners using the Service. “While we are providing statistical information about the Service we will not provide information that would enable individual properties or applicants to be identified.”
The freephone help line 0800 116 926 operates Monday to Friday from 8.30am - 7.00pm, except on statutory holidays.
Concerned homeowners can also access the WHRS through the weathertightness website www.weathertightness.govt.nz, which contains information about the work of the Service and issues related to leaky homes.
Note: To protect the privacy of homeowners in small centres, figures are not given where fewer than five applications have been received.
| Territorial Authority |
Total applications
to WHRS at 7/2/03 |
Number of dwellings
covered by applications |
| Ashburton District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Auckland City Council |
129 |
407 |
| Banks Peninsula District Cl |
0 |
0 |
| Buller District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Carterton District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Central Hawkes Bay District Cl |
0 |
0 |
| Central Otago District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Chatham Islands Council |
0 |
0 |
| Christchurch City Council |
30 |
63 |
| Clutha District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Dunedin City Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Far North District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Franklin District Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Gisborne District Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Gore District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Grey District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Hamilton City Council |
15 |
15 |
| Hastings District Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Hauraki District Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Horowhenua District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Hurunui District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Hutt City Council (Lower Hutt) |
6 |
6 |
| Invercargill City Council |
0 |
0 |
| Kaikoura District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Kaipara District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Kapiti Coast District Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Kawerau District Council |
0 |
0 |
| MacKenzie District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Manawatu District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Manukau City Council |
19 |
19 |
| Marlborough District Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Masterton District Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Matamata-Piako District Cl |
0 |
0 |
| Napier City Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Nelson City Council |
9 |
9 |
| New Plymouth District Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| North Shore City Council |
47 |
59 |
| Opotiki District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Otorohanga District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Palmerston North City Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Papakura District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Porirua City Council |
12 |
12 |
| Queenstown-Lakes District Cl |
6 |
6 |
| Rangitikei District Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Rodney District Council |
10 |
50 |
| Rotorua District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Ruapehu District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Selwyn District Council |
0 |
0 |
| South Taranaki District Council |
0 |
0 |
| South Waikato District Council |
0 |
0 |
| South Wairarapa District Cl |
0 |
0 |
| Southland District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Stratford District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Tararua District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Tasman District Council |
5 |
5 |
| Taupo District Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Tauranga District Council |
18 |
18 |
| Thames-Coromandel Dist. Cl |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Timaru District Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Upper Hutt City Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Waikato District Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Waimakariri District Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Waimate District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Waipa District Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Wairoa District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Waitakere City Council |
19 |
19 |
| Waitaki District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Waitomo District Council |
0 |
0 |
| Wanganui District Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Wellington City Council |
31 |
46 |
| West. Bay of Plenty District Cl |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Westland District Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Whakatane District Council |
Fewer than 5 |
Fewer than 5 |
| Whangarei District Council |
7 |
7 |
| TOTALS |
403 |
781 |