*ARCHIVE* - Weathertightness media releases
Media releases on weathertightness that were issued by the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service (as part of the Department of Internal Affairs) and Building Industry Authority prior to the establishment of the Department of Building and Housing on 1 November 2004.
2004
New location, same service for leaky home claims
30 June 2004: Homeowners and others involved in leaky home claims will receive the same service from the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service (WHRS) when it moves to a different government department early next year. Read more »
Weathertightness Solution - a significant advancement in combating leaky building problems
23 Jun 2004: The Building Industry Authority has released new requirements that define good practice for the way buildings are designed and built to help overcome leaky building problems. Read more »
Timing for new timber treatment requirements
10 Mar 2004: The Building Industry Authority (BIA) has confirmed implementation arrangements for new treated timber requirements announced in December. The new requirements set out in its Acceptable Solution (known as B2/AS1 because it is the Acceptable Solution supporting Clause B2 (Durability) of the New Zealand Building Code) introduce the need for increased levels of treatment for timber used in parts of buildings most at risk of damage caused by leaking. Read more »
Another step to combat weathertightness problems
9 Feb 2004: The Building Industry Authority (BIA) has announced another step in a wider set of actions to address the leaky buildings problem. The BIA has approved an amendment to its Acceptable Solution that sets out the requirements for the way buildings should be constructed to manage external moisture. Read more »
2003
Changes to Acceptable Solution B2/AS1 - Timber Durability
23 Dec 2003: Higher levels of timber treatment will be required in parts of buildings more at risk from leaking, the Building Industry Authority (BIA) announced today. However final changes to its Acceptable Solution, that sets out the level of treatment required of timber, are less conservative than the original proposals issued in June, Authority chairman Barry Brown said. Read more »
Building consents and code compliance certificates
4 Dec 2003: The Building Industry Authority (BIA) has been advised that Auckland City Council is declining consents or code compliance certificates for buildings using monolithic cladding, without cavities. The BIA has been working closely with Auckland City over recent days to better understand their policy and has issued advice to all territorial authorities regarding their responsibilities in the issuing of code compliance certificates. Read more »
Leaky homes info demand from non-English speakers
20 November 2003: In response to demand from non-English speakers for information about leaky homes, the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service (WHRS) is continuing its freephone information lines in six languages. Read more »
BIA releases submissions on timber treatment and external moisture management proposals
12 Sep 2003: The BIA has made publicly available the 300 plus submissions it received during the E2/B2 consultation period. Read more »
300 submissions received on proposed changes to treated timber (B2) and external moisture management (E2) requirements
14 Aug 2003: Over 300 submissions have been received on the Building Industry Authority's proposed changes to requirements for the use of treated timber and on external moisture management. Read more »
Submissions on proposed weathertightness changes close in two weeks
25 Jul 2003: This is a reminder that the consultation period on the BIA's proposed changes to Clause E2 of the building code and to approved documents E2/AS1, E2/VM1 and B2/AS1 closes at 5pm on Friday 8 August 2003. Read more »
BIA proposes changes to treated timber and external moisture management
13 Jun 2003: The BIA has announced proposals for significant changes to its Approved Documents that set out how timber should be treated and the way external moisture should be managed in residential dwellings. Read more »
Select Committee reports released
25 Mar 2003: The Government Administration Select Committee inquiring into the weathertightness of buildings in New Zealand has released its report. Read more »
BIA response to Select Committee reports
25 Mar 2003: Building Industry Authority chairman Barry Brown says the BIA has received the Government Administration Select Committee's financial review of the BIA and its report on the weathertightness problem. Read more »
BIA nears completion of review into treated timber issues
18 Mar 2003: The Building Industry Authority expects to begin consultation on the findings of its treated timber review in April. Read more »
Principal Mediator appointed to Weathertight Homes Resolution Service
7 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. Read more »
2002
Weathertight homes service assessments underway
19 December 2002: Homeowners with leaky homes are receiving help from the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service now that assessors, mediators and case managers have been appointed. Read more »
BIA warns of potentially unsafe balconies and balustrades
18 Dec 2002: The Building Industry Authority today issued a public reminder that certain balconies and balustrades on houses and apartments could be in danger of collapsing and causing a serious accident. Read more »
Applications being processed by weathertight homes service
5 Dec 2002: The Weathertight Homes Resolution Service set up by the Department of Internal Affairs is busy processing the nearly 500 people who have indicated they are likely to seek an assessment of their property. Read more »
Weathertight homes service moves forward
28 Nov 2002: The Weathertight Homes Resolution Service expects to start appointing assessors in the coming week to look at leaky homes belonging to property owners who have registered with the service. Read more »
Final section of the "Hunn Report" on weathertightness released
28 Nov 2002: The final section of the Overview Group Report on weathertightness of buildings, released today, finds the Building Act fundamentally sound but identifies aspects that require revision to prevent the reoccurrence of similar problems in the future. Read more »
Summary of BIA activity on weathertightness concerns
22 Nov 2002: April 2001 - BRANZ Steering Group begins considering anecdotes of potential weathertightness issues. No evidence that these are not simply isolated incidents. BIA is represented on this Group. Read more »
Media statement
22 Nov 2002: The Building Industry Authority strongly rejects reported allegations made today by Mr Greg O'Sullivan on National Radio that the Authority has failed to show leadership in dealing with the leaky buildings issue, BIA Chief Executive Bill Porteous said today. Read more »
Summary of BIA activity on weathertightness concerns
Summary of BIA activity on weathertightness concerns up to October 2002. Read more »
Media statement
21 Nov 2002: Building Industry Authority chairman Barry Brown confirmed today that leaky building issues were not discussed while Internal Affairs Minister George Hawkins attended a meeting of the Authority in September 2001. Read more »
Media release
14 Nov 2002: Homeowners are continuing to register with the Department of Internal Affairs' Weathertight Homes Resolution Service. The service has received a steady increase in the number of calls and registrations since it was established four weeks ago. Read more »
Release of information on weathertightness
4 Nov 2002: The Building Industry Authority today welcomed the release of information by Government on leaky building syndrome. Read more »
Registrations underway with weathertightness service
31 Oct 2002: The Department of Internal Affairs’ weathertightness service has received just over 150 registrations from homeowners since it was established two weeks ago. Read more »
Weathertightness service
18 Oct 2002: The Government has established a weathertightness service to help homeowners with 'leaky buildings'. Read more »
Website, free toll line, disputes procedures for homeowners affected by leaky building syndrome - media release
17 Oct 2002: View the press release issued on 17 October 2002 by the Hon George Hawkins, Minister of Internal Affairs. Read more »
Outcomes from the Building Industry summit on weathertightness
14 Oct 2002: The building industry summit in Auckland today showed a strong industry commitment to arresting the leaky building problem as quickly as possible, the Building Industry Authority said. Read more »
Housing industry and homeowners input sought
8 Oct 2002: The expert panel convened by the Department of Internal Affairs to help establish the new mediation service for people seeking redress over ‘weathertightness’ issues is seeking advice from homeowners and the building industry. Read more »
Mediation service expert group begins work
7 Oct 2002: View the press release issued on 2 October 2002 by Hon George Hawkins, Minister of Internal Affairs. Read more »
Mediation service to be established for leaky homes
2 Oct 2002: View the press release issued on 2 October 2002 by Hon George Hawkins, Minister of Internal Affairs. Read more »
Weathertightness report released
17 Sep 2002: The Building Industry Authority said it would begin immediately acting on recommendations of an independent report into the weathertightness of New Zealand buildings, and would work with the building industry to do so. Read more »
E3 internal moisture - comment sought
29 Aug 2002: Proposed changes to New Zealand Building Code Clause E3 "Internal moisture" and its associated Approved Document have been released for public comment. Read more »
Potentially unsafe balconies and balustrades
23 Aug 2002: The Building Industry Authority today advised that certain balconies and balustrades on houses and apartments could be in danger of collapsing and causing a serious accident. Read more »
Weathertightness - preliminary report
20 May 2002: The Building Industry Authority appointed Weathertightness Overview Group has given a preliminary verbal report to the BIA into the increasing incidence of water damage to some modern residential dwellings. Read more »
Preliminary report: BIA Overview Group on Weathertightness of Buildings
20 May 2002: On 18 February 2002, the Building Industry Authority appointed a Weathertightness Overview Group to inquire into the weathertightness of buildings in New Zealand in general, and in particular into the current concerns regarding housing that is leaking with consequent decay. Read more »
Leaking buildings
25 Mar 2002: The Building Industry Authority has recently engaged an independent team of three people to conduct an inquiry into widespread claims that new buildings are failing to stay weathertight. Read more »