’We just want it over and done with’ - Bella Vista

Defunct Tauranga housing development Bella Vista Housing Development. - Photo: RNZ / Eva Corlett

One of the homeowners caught up in a failed housing development in Tauranga says she's been left in limbo while they wait for a decision on compensation.

Last month, the Tauranga City Council agreed to compensate those who had bought homes in the Bella Vista development.

The council signed off on the shoddy work that left the buildings too dangerous to live in.

But Jenny Coffey, who had bought one of the dodgy homes, says compensation negotiations haven't started yet.

"We just want it over and done with as quickly as possible. We understood that was what the council wanted following the meeting we all had on June 6," she says.

"We're just sat waiting and now we're six-and-a-half weeks further on and no resolution as yet."

The council said it's not in a position to provide a timeframe on when the homeowners could hear more about what they might get.

It said every effort was being made to progress things as quickly as possible, but it was a complex matter and the council wanted to ensure it was done properly.

Separately, two families have initiated legal action against the Tauranga City Council.

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9 comments

No Excuse .

Posted on 21-07-2018 11:53 | By Marshal

Maybe the Tauranga rate payers , should try paying their rates with the expediency that the Council think is OK to settle debt they have acknowledged is theirs to pay. , The full wrath of the financial fear machine would be in full swing in a month.. Council get your fingers out of your ears and into your purse..


Avr

Posted on 21-07-2018 12:48 | By Anton

Now the council know that everything has to be done properly, now it is their money they play with.


Selfish, faceless and without passion or remorse!

Posted on 21-07-2018 12:56 | By CC8

Council works at a snails pace, they have no passion, no priority and certainly no empathy. Working at TCC is all about ass covering and making sure that no one around you has anything they can use to their advantage. The plan here is to wear the disadvantaged home owners down, to the point where they are happy to take a lowball offer . WE as ratepayers have to stump up and DEMAND that the council staff who contrived this situation pay for the damage caused , to both the homeowners AND Bella Vista Homes. BUT more importantly WE as ratepayers need to tell council collectively that as OUR REPRESENTATIVES they should make immediate and fair if not compensatory payment to these 21 fellow ratepayers. How would we feel if our council staff and representatives did this to us?


Stand United!

Posted on 21-07-2018 13:33 | By Jaybee

If 'two families' have initiated legal action against the Council, then imagine what all the rest of the Bella Vista unfortunate property owners could do? Challlenge a barrister to take on a Pro-Bono case - and stand united - you will be amazed what the power of one group can achieve, you have already won half the battle as a group - settlement is just around the corner... stay strong, stay united.


Here's a thought .....

Posted on 21-07-2018 14:42 | By StevieB

If ’Council’ really want to do the right thing, I think buying the properties is not enough to compensate the owners as this only returns the money that they paid or are out of pocket. In reality, the home owners are more disadvantaged now, than before they started because section prices & building costs have increased & they are effectively now worse off than their pre-start financial position(s). This is because they need MORE deposit & a HIGHER LOAN loan to replicate a new build in the same area. I think the council should purchase sections & build new homes to the same specifications of each home affected and then swap the completed property (once fully signed off) for the bad ones. Only this action, will mean the property owners are restored to the financial position they were in. C’mon Council, do the RIGHT THING, not the cheapest.


Name and Shame

Posted on 21-07-2018 16:06 | By stokey

Come on, name and shame those faceless morons, who through incompetence or corruption, caused this debacle. We all know what goes on behind the scenes in these entities. Lets have some names since we no longer have stocks available to chain the culprits to. My heart goes out to these poor people who have been shafted.


Sorry for those caught up

Posted on 21-07-2018 17:05 | By Kancho

I'm sorry for the poor people who appear from no fault of theirs are caught up in this stressful situation. I smile somewhat that the council "want to make sure it's done properly" pity that was not the mantra from the beginning of allowing this development to go down hill from the start ( pardon the pun ) unfortunately the poor rate payers will be left with the bill for millions whichever way it goes.


The buck stops...

Posted on 21-07-2018 17:42 | By bigted

On the ratepayer. I pay my rates for the council to provide me with some services e.g. water, roading, storm water etc. I do not pay my rates so that I compensate others for what is a monumental stuff-up. The council should have public liability insurance for this eventuality, and the homeowners should also have had insurance for this situation e.g Master Builders or equivalent. Re-iterating my view, this is not my problem and I should not have to pay for it.


bella got away with it

Posted on 22-07-2018 08:57 | By Wonkytonk

Its odd how all the attention is off the cr4p builders who even did this workmanship, they must have known it was rubbish. i mean how many home in NZ have leaky? i built my own as can't trust many houses on the market. Its the whole industry thats rubbish. home that are way over priced, cold, damp! sort the industry out not just the sign off.


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