Inquiry into EQC requests welcomed

10:16 am on 7 June 2013

Cantabrians who have been waiting up to seven months for a response from the Earthquake Commission to their official information requests are welcoming the news of an inquiry.

The Chief Ombudsman and the Privacy Commissioner are to jointly investigate EQC's handling of the requests.

Requests are supposed to be processed in 20 working days but some residents say they have been made to wait for months.

Brent Hamlin, whose complaint to the Ombudsman led to the inquiry, said he wanted to know why the scope of work on his house was at odds with EQC's assessment of the work required.

Mr Hamlin said he had to wait six months for a response, and hopes others don't have to endure what he's had to.

Sarah O'Brien said she had to wait seven months for a reply, forcing her to live in a quake-damaged home longer than she should have.

Earthquake Recovery minister Gerry Brownlee says he welcomes the investigation because there is a problem that needs to be solved.

Labour's Earthquake Recovery spokesperson Lianne Dalziel says the frustration people face in not being able to access basic information they need to make informed decisions about their future is underestimated.

The investigation is expected to be completed by the end of July.