15 Jul 2017

Iwi fears no restitution for Eastcliffe problems likely

12:57 pm on 15 July 2017

The iwi that owns the Eastcliffe Retirement Village in Auckland fears it may not be able to recover the multi-million dollar cost of repairing serious building faults discovered there.

Eastcliffe Retirement Village

Eastcliffe Retirement Village Photo: RNZ / Laura Tupou

Inspections have revealed structural and fire protection failings in a vacated block.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Rawa has decided to evacuate 34 of the village's 160 residents from five other blocks, built by the same construction company, as a precaution.

The trust's director Ngarimu Blair said fixing the problems would leave the iwi with a multi-million dollar bill - and it did not have many ways to get recourse from the building company involved.

"We have had a look at that in the past, we're doing some more investigation to see if there is any recourse.

"I don't think anyone [of builders involved in the construction] from that time exists anymore."

Mr Blair said the priority at the moment was moving the residents.

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