A person has died after the car they were in smashed into a house in Taupō on a corner where driving often 'turns to custard”.

Police say one vehicle crashed into the residential property shortly after midnight on Saturday morning, and one person died at the scene.

Neville Hutchinson lives at the house, and says while no-one who lives there was injured there had been a lot of damage to their house and basement.

'We got a good shock of course,” says Neville.

He had three cars inside his basement wrecked, including two classic cars, and he suspects his driving car will be written off.

A neighbour a few doors down from the crash site, Richard Lester, says the corner of Te Heuheu St and Mere Rd has been problematic for years.

Often people misjudge the corner 'and then it all turns to custard”, he says.

Richard believes the driver of the car missed the corner, went through a fence and across a lawn before launching into the side of the house where the garage was – travelling some 15 to 20 metres off the road.

'Since we moved back here five or so years ago, there have been three or four reasonable accidents on that particular corner.

'It's not a major scene of destruction, but it's still pretty bad when someone loses their life.”

In a statement, police say they offered condolences to the family of the deceased person.

'Inquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.”

-Sapeer Mayron/Stuff.