Couple demolish their rotting home

Thousands of rotting homes are expected to be demolished in the next two years and one North Shore couple have just taken this rare and drastic step.

Chris and Nicky Wordsworth have demolished their decaying $310,000 house but an expert predicts many more places will quickly follow.

The Wordsworths say they are unable to seek a single cent in compensation and have cut their losses.

It only took two days in November for the disillusioned British migrants to be rid of their leaky and severely defective house in Torbay's Ashley Ave, a property QV lists as being worth $550,000: a $310,000 house now totalled standing on a $240,000 section.

Few of an estimated 80,000 leaking houses nationally have been destroyed as owners attempt repairs but even those are failing in many cases.

John Gray, president of the Homeowners and Buyers Association, said he knew of only six houses worth about $4 million in Auckland, Hawkes Bay, Wellington and Christchurch which had been razed but he expects thousands more in the next two years.

To read the full NZ Herald story click here

Posted: 29 Jan 2009

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