Council gives ultimatum to residents

7:45 pm on 15 December 2011

Christchurch City Council has given 27 homeowners who have defied orders to leave their homes in the city's Port Hills 20 days to leave or face court action.

Their homes have been red-stickered due to earthquake damage or danger from rockfall, cliff collapse or landslide.

It was revealed in November that the council had hired a private investigator to prove some home owners are still living in homes that have been deemed unsafe for occupation.

Council regulation and democracy manager Peter Mitchell told Checkpoint it can't sit back and ignore the fact that people are living in homes at risk of rockfall or other geo-technical issues.

The decision to issue the 20-day notice came as the council this morning also amended its rates policy so that more than 500 property owners, will not have to pay rates for at-risk hill homes.