The size of the leaky buildings problem is significant. It has been estimated that approximately 42,000 New Zealand homes are currently affected.

The Leaky Buildings Crisis – Understanding the Issues examines the leaky buildings crisis from the perspectives of experts in the areas of law, public health, economics, sociology, property valuation, building surveying, construction and dispute resolution.

View a recent article on the issue by Rod Thomas

The book is intended to be a resource that will provide people from all walks of life with the opportunity to read expert commentary on one of the most significant problems currently facing New Zealand.

It is also essential reading for those who wish to come to an understanding (or to deepen their understanding) of the causes, effects, and possible solutions to this crisis.

The book will be an invaluable source of information for lawyers, judges, dispute resolution professionals, engineers, architects, builders, regulators, policy analysts, policy-makers in central and local government, academics, students, and owners of leaky buildings.

CONTENTS

PART 1: LEGAL, REGULATORY AND SYSTEMIC FAILURE AND THE LEAKY BUILDINGS CRISIS

• Legal doctrine, the leaky homes crisis and the limits of judicial law-making (Professor Geoff McLay)
• A review of building remediation in New Zealand – leaking buildings or wider building code performance issues? (Mark Powell)
• Regulation and leaky buildings (Dr Brian Easton)

PART 2: IMPACTS OF LEAKY BUILDINGS CRISIS

• Leaky building stigma and house prices (Dr Michael Rehm)
• An overview of possible health effects from exposure to “leaky buildings” (Professor Jeroen Douwes and Professor Philippa Howden-Chapman
• Living with risk, living in risk: a sociological perspective on New Zealand’s leaky building syndrome (Associate Professor Ann Dupuis, Emeritus Professor David Thorns)

PART 3: THE LAW AND THE LEAKY BUILDINGS CRISIS

• Tortious liability for defective buildings (Associate Professor Rosemary Tobin)
• Leaky buildings: limitation issues and successive owners (Professor Stephen Todd)
• Managerial and worker liability for shortcomings in the building of leaky homes—an antediluvian perspective (Professor Peter Watts)
• Repairing leaky unit titles, Tisch, and appointment of administrators (Rod Thomas)
• Who suffers the loss when leaks are found on common property in a unit title development (Rod Thomas)
• Tax law issues (Professor Craig Elliffe)
• Buying and selling a leaky home (Dr Don McMorland)

PART 4: DISPUTE RESOLUTION OPTIONS

• Resolving leaky building claims (John Green)

PART 5: THE REMEDIAL PROCESS

• The Process of Building Remediation (Steve Alexander)

PART 6: LEGAL, REGULATORY AND SYSTEMIC FAILURE – AN ONGOING PROBLEM?

• Habitable Housing; lessons learned? (Professor Philippa Howden-Chapman and Christopher Ruthe)
• Leaky Homes – Long term solutions (Tim Rainey)

Contributing Authors: Professor Geoff McLay, Mark Powell, Dr Brian Easton, Dr Michael Rehm, Professor Jeroen Douwes, Professor Philippa Howden-Chapman, Associate Professor Ann Dupuis, Emeritus Professor David Thorns, Associate Professor Rosemary Tobin, Professor Stephen Todd, Professor Peter Watts, Rod Thomas, Professor Craig Elliffe, Dr Don McMorland, John Green, Steve Alexander, Christopher Ruthe, Tim Rainey

Publication Date: December 2011