Help for owners of earthquake prone buildings
Wellingtonians of earthquake-prone units can now apply for cheap Government loans to fix their home, but some are already slamming it as “coercive debt”.
From today, owner-occupiers of units and apartments in earthquake-prone buildings can apply for up to $250,000 in low-interest loans.
There are still 561 buildings overall, including units and apartments, registered as earthquake prone in Wellington City.
The average cost of earthquake repairs for apartments has been estimated at $500,000.
Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa said the scheme aimed to help owners avoid being forced to sell their home or face “huge financial hardship”.
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we are having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️
Moe mai rā, Nicholas.
We're sad to announce the passing of Nicholas Boyack, our Hutt Valley reporter who has long written for The Dominion Post, The Hutt News and Upper Hutt Leader.
Poll: Should all neighbours have to contribute to improvements?
An Auckland court has ruled a woman doesn’t have to contribute towards the cost of fixing a driveway she shares with 10 neighbours.
When thinking about fences, driveways or tree felling, for example, do you think all neighbours should have to pay if the improvements directly benefit them?
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82.7% Yes
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14.7% No
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2.6% Other - I'll share below