An insurance expert says a Supreme Court decision yesterday could open lawyers up to legal action from anybody who has bought a home in Christchurch since the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes. The court's decision makes it clear that insurers cannot be held liable for meeting the full replacement cost of a quake damaged home by the subsequent purchaser of that house.
A photograph of a fire engine and fire fighters on Worcester Boulevard. In the background, a digger is being used to clear the rubble of 33 Worcester Street. Fire damage can be seen along the right wall of the house next door.
A photograph of a member of the Wellington Emergency Management Office Emergency Response Team pointing to an earthquake-damaged house in central Christchurch. A large section of the house has collapsed, the rubble spilling onto the driveway. Emergency tape has been draped across the driveway as a cordon.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Orari Street, Bexley. Changes to the water level have taken place in this property".
A Civil Defence staff member completing a Level 1 Rapid Assessment inspection on a damaged house. The brickwork on the outer walls have collapsed.
A house on Avonside Drive that has been abandoned due to damage from the 4 September 2010 earthquake. Its front garden has become overgrown.
A photograph of the earthquake damage to Wharetiki on Colombo Street. One of the side walls has buckled and pulled away from the house.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "The Curator's House restaurant. The view from the back of the building that sustained no real damage from the earthquake".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Hemant Shah, whose Ferry Road dairy and the house he lives in above it have been condemned following earthquake damage".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christchurch earthquake. Rob Souness of Weedons Eggs suffered serious damage to his hen house saving 23000 hens and losing 3000".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christchurch earthquake. Rob Souness of Weedons Eggs suffered serious damage to his hen house saving 23000 hens and losing 3000".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christchurch earthquake. Rob Souness of Weedons Eggs suffered serious damage to his hen house saving 23000 hens and losing 3000".
Cunningham House at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens is still closed due to earthquake damage. I wonder if it will ever re-open or suffer the demolition fate many other iconic structures in Christchurch have.
A house with a damaged roof and gutters on Waipara Street in Cracroft. The chimney has been removed and placed on the lawn in front.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Morganwood St and Brynn Lane, Bexley".
A Christchurch family have found themselves stuck with a house that is too unsafe to live in after a fire revealed earthquake damage, which EQC admits it failed to identify.
Damaged property that housed the Talon Arms, a Gunsmith store on Worcester Street. On it are some signs that say 'Free bricks here' and 'Guns gone clear'.
Damage to a brick house on Sherbourne Street, where much of the front and side walls have fallen away, partly landing on the property next door.
Damage to a residential property on Hood Avenue in Pines Beach, after the September 4th earthquake. The house is on a lean due to liquefaction.
A damaged house inside the CBD cordon, seen through a fence. On the doors are signs that say 'Danger Keep Out' and 'Danger do no enter'.
Damage to a chimney of a house in Kerrs Road. The bricks at the base of the chimney have spread apart, but the chimney is still standing.
Plastic road barriers on the corner of Kilmore Street and Fitzgerald Ave. In the background is a damaged house with wooden bracing to support the walls.
A photograph of an earthquake-damaged house. Wooden bracing has been placed in between the house and the fence, with wires connecting the top of the bracing to the peak of the roof. Emergency management personnel are in the driveway to the right. In the foreground a section of the brick fence at the front of the property has toppled.
Damage to a house in Richmond. Bricks have fallen from the walls onto the driveway, and a large gap between the concrete foundation and the wooden framing shows how much the house has moved. The photographer comments, "The foundations and brick cladding moved, but the timber wall remained in position. The gap grew to over 400mm by the time the house was demolished.
20110821_1708_1D3-280 Six months on A house in Bexley damaged in the February earthquake still looks like this six months later.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Orari Street, Bexley. Look at the angles of the lamp-posts in this street and the size of that pot hole!".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "As we went by, we recorded the current state of the site of the urgent demolition in Redcliffs from last week. To our surprise when processing the photo, we noticed how damaged the surrounding houses are, particularly the house with the red tiles".
A house on Acland Avenue in Avonside that has been abandoned due to damage from the 4 September 2010 earthquake. The house's front garden has become overgrown and weeds have grown up through the cracks in its driveway. Its chimneys have collapsed and have been weather proofed with tarpaulins.
A photograph of the earthquake damage to a house on Woodham Road. The house has come off its foundations as the bricks wall have crumbled, spilling onto the footpath in front. Road cones have been placed along the street to warn road users.
A damaged concrete tilt-slab building. The slabs have separated and tilted, and are supported by steel bracing. The photographer comments, "This house in Christchurch was made by bolting 4 slabs of concrete together. A fantastic idea in a country prone to earthquakes".