Weathertight Homes Resolution Service
This output class provides assessment and dispute resolution services under the Weathertight Homes Resolution Services Act 2006. Services aim to provide owners of dwelling houses affected by the ‘leaky building syndrome' with information and access to speedy, flexible and cost-effective procedures for assessment and resolution of claims relating to those buildings.
Output: Weathertight Homes Claims Assessment: Provide owners of leaky homes with a comprehensive assessor's report that identifies water damage and necessary repairs in relation to their claim.
| Actual 2006/07 |
Measures |
Standard 2007/08 |
Performance to 30 June 2008 |
| |
Quantity |
| 75221 |
Number of eligible claims received |
900-1,400 |
Achieved
1,029 eligible claims (1,368 dwellings) were received.
The difference between the number of claims and the number of dwellings is a result of apartment complexes electing to proceed with class actions under the WHRS Act 2006.
|
| 93322 |
Numbers of assessments completed |
900-1,400 |
Not achieved
797 assessments were completed.
The numbers were below the anticipated level because of the lower number of stand-alone dwellings and an increase in applications from multi-unit dwellings.
|
| 34523 |
Numbers of addenda or revisions completed |
280-420 |
Not achieved
230 addenda or revisions were completed.
Fewer addenda were requested by claimants and those addenda reports undertaken were required to be the equivalent of a full assessment rather than a summary, as originally envisaged.
|
| |
Quality |
| New measure for 2007/08 |
Percentage of assessment reports meeting agreed quality standards |
90% |
Achieved
100% of assessment reports met agreed quality standards.
|
| New measure for 2007/08 |
Percentage of estimated repair costs accurate to within 20% |
75% |
Not achieved
Data to record the accuracy of assessment reports completed in 2007/08 has not yet been captured and verified.
|
| |
Timeliness |
| Revised measure for 2007/08 |
Percentage of claim assessments for single homes completed within 3 months of receipt of their application |
75% |
Not achieved
50% of claim assessments for single homes were completed within 3 months of receipt of their application.
The Department has set high standards for assessment. As a result, each assessment takes longer to complete, sometimes outside the three months threshold. To address this, we are reviewing our internal processes to improve processing times.
|
| Revised measure for 2007/08 |
Percentage of claim assessments from multi-dwelling complexes completed within 6 months of receipt of their application |
75% |
Not achieved
74% of claim assessments from multi-dwelling complexes were completed within 6 months of receipt of their application.
|
| Revised measure for 2007/08 |
Percentage of addenda or report revisions completed within 1 month of receipt of their request |
75% |
Not achieved
5% of addenda or report revisions were completed within 1 month of their request. This measure has proved to be inappropriate. It was not anticipated that addenda and revisions under the WHRS Act 2006 would be, in effect, new full assessments, which meant that a one-month turnaround was unrealistic.
|
Output: Dispute Resolution: Provide a service for homeowners with eligible claims to establish the parties to the claims, collate the evidence and hold mediation hearings to resolve the claims.
| Actual 2006/07 |
Measures |
Standard 2007/08 |
Performance to 30 June 2008 |
| |
Quantity |
| New measure for 2007/08 |
Number of claims referred to mediation |
110-180 |
Achieved
138 claims were referred to mediation.
|
| 155 claims were resolved24 |
Number of claims closed |
400-600 |
Achieved 650 claims were closed. |
| New measure for 2007/08 |
Number of claims entering lower-value claims process |
270-400 |
Not achieved
6 claims entered the lower-value claims process.
This measure has proved to be inappropriate. Low-value claims numbers are significantly below anticipated levels.
Full evaluation of this policy will be part of the Department's evaluation of the WHRS Act 2006.
|
| |
Quality |
| New measure for 2007/08 |
Percentage of mediations resulting in settlement |
75% |
Achieved
83% of mediations resulted in settlement.
|
| New measure for 2007/08 |
Percentage of lower-value claims resolved through the lower-value claims process or through mediation |
75% |
Achieved
85% of lower-value claims were resolved through the lower-value claims process or through mediation.
|
| |
Timeliness |
| New measure for 2007/08 |
Percentage of mediations completed within specified timeframes |
99% |
Achieved
100% of mediations were completed within specified timeframes.
|
| New measure for 2007/08 |
Percentage of claims closed within 18 months of filing of claim |
90% |
Achieved
100% of claims were closed within 18 months of filing of claim.
|
| New measure for 2007/08 |
Percentage of lower-value claims resolved within 3 months of application being deemed as low value |
90% |
Not achieved
17% of lower-value claims were resolved within 3 months of application being deemed as low value.
Lower-value claims have the same issues and complexity as higher-value claims and 3 months has proven to be an unrealistic timeframe.
|
Financial Performance
2007
Actual
$000 |
2008
Actual
$000 |
2008
Main
Estimates
$000 |
2008
Supplementary
Estimates
$000 |
| 19,155 |
Revenue - Crown |
17,799 |
20,514 |
19,799 |
| 78 |
Revenue - Departmental |
85 |
53 |
77 |
| 64 |
Revenue - Other |
112 |
1 |
150 |
| 19,297 |
Total Revenue |
17,996 |
20,568 |
20,026 |
| 17,605 |
Total Expenses |
16,879 |
20,568 |
20,877 |
| 1,692 |
Net surplus/(deficit) |
1,117 |
- |
(851) |