Assessment

Assessors

Weathertight Services assessors must be accredited Building Research Authority of New Zealand (BRANZ) advisers or members of the NZ Institute of Building Surveyors (NZIBS) or members of the NZ Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NZIQS). All assessors must successfully complete an approved weathertightness course.

Assessing a claim

If a WHRS claim is accepted for an assessor’s report, we will commission an expert assessor to investigate the house or complex and provide a report to us. We will send a copy of the report to the claimant or their representative.

There are two report options. A claims advisor will help the claimant decide which one is the better option for their claim.

1. A full assessor’s report costs a homeowner $500 for a stand-alone property or single unit claim, $1,000 for a duplex (two units) or $1,500 for a multi-unit complex. A full assessor’s report is the better option if the claimant wants a comprehensive assessment before deciding whether to repair first or resolve their claim first. It identifies the actual and potential weathertightness damage, necessary repairs, the cost of repair, and parties that the assessor considers should be involved in the resolution process.
2. An eligibility assessor’s report is free of charge. This is a limited report to decide eligibility only. This option is for a claimant if they are confident that they can access the finance and expertise to undertake the full repair process before proceeding to the resolution process with full receipts. This also means getting potential respondents involved and keeping a careful record of evidence as the claimant repairs.

If a claimant has already repaired their property before applying to Weathertight Services, their only option is an eligibility assessor’s report. 

Claims advisors provide claimants with more detailed information about the types of assessment. If a claimant initially chooses an eligibility assessment, this does not stop them from later requesting a full assessment before proceeding to resolution (unless they have already repaired the property).

The claimant will also receive information about the assessor’s investigation measures moisture content and assesses the damage to the house or complex. With invasive testing, the assessor in most cases will: of their house or complex, and the need for invasive testing which

• drill holes in walls (inside and outside).
• cut A4-sized holes in walls (inside and outside).
• take samples of wood or mould from inside the wall.

The assessment of your house information sheet covers invasive testing, and you can view photos showing sites where invasive testing has occurred.