15 Mar 2017

Landlord knew building was a flood risk but didn't inform tenants

From Checkpoint, 5:10 pm on 15 March 2017

An Auckland landlord knew his block of flats had a significant flood risk, according to an engineer, but did not warn his tenants.

Six ground-floor units at the 14-flat Glen Eden property were awash with water during Sunday's huge rainfall, for the second time in less than five years.

The tenants are still struggling with the clean-up and say they feel abandoned by their landlord, Wellpark Trust.

Wellpark Trust director Philip Davis said earlier this week he had no idea the building was flood-prone.

But a former Auckland Council stormwater engineer, Peter Kovacevich, told Checkpoint with John Campbell he warned Mr Davis about the risk before Mr Davis bought the property.

"He would have been advised, certainly advised by me and I would imagine anybody else from council associated with it, that the property had significant flood issues associated with it."

Mr Kovacevich said the LIM report also showed the property was flood-prone.