Tuesday 17 July 2012

Kafka likes earthquakes

Fortunately, our dealings with EQC haven't been quite as disheartening as Islay McLeod's. Read that one and despair.

We received our Scope of Works document in June and it largely matches what our private engineer found, with a couple of minor omissions. We're still going to have the mess of dealing with EQC's revised rules for those who want to choose their own builders rather than go through Fletcher's lottery. Our private insurer hasn't returned emails about our claims for damage to the sidewalks, paths, pool and fencing, but we're not going to start pushing AMI / Southern Response until we've sorted out the timing of the rest of the rebuild.

The next national election, for those in Christchurch, could turn pretty easily into a referendum on the earthquake response. If Islay's story is pretty typical... well, I've a small short position on National winning re-election.

EQC warned the government back in 2009 that it really wasn't able to handle this kind of thing. I don't blame National for failing to get that sorted in the year and a half they had between the report's coming out in the middle of the financial crisis, just a few months into National's term of office, and the September 2010 earthquake. But this really ought to be sorted out before the Alpine Fault opens up for Wellington.

4 comments:

  1. I see the McLeod article waiting in the Press for my lunchtime (five minutes). As I've said on another thread, we've barely made it to actually being posted our first EQC report from last September: luckily we're not living in the house, and have the luxury of being able to 'shelve' the issue for a couple of years. Otherwise ....

    I see you're still looking to opt out of Fletcher's: please keep us informed through your blog; I'll be very interested in reimbursement period, and whether EQC argue the toss over any dollar amounts.

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  2. Just finished McLeod. Yep, that's the nightmare alright.

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  3. Oh, it'll be an adventure. But it's likely months away. No way I want to start anything during semester, so it's likely not 'till after folks start working again after summer holidays.

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  4. "But this really ought to be sorted out before the Alpine Fault opens up for Wellington."

    Shortly before the Canty earthquakes EQC did a peer reviewed analysis of the "Big One" in Wgton.. from memory it concluded a damage bill way less that the reality of Canty.. so, no worries.

    JC

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