The owner of a quake-prone building in Lower Hutt has been fined $37,500 for failing to complete earthquake strengthening.
It's the first prosecution of its kind in New Zealand, and comes after years of repeated attempts from the Hutt City Council to get owner Allura Ltd to strengthen the building or demolish the building at 307 Jackson St, Petone.
Tenants had been living in the unsafe building, and in June the council issued a notice for them to vacate so it could be strengthened or demolished.
"The defendant has continued to generate rental income from residential tenants, who have been put at risk by the defendant's non-compliance," the judge said in sentencing.
The judge described owner Alura Ltd's failure to strengthen or demolish the building for almost a decade as "egregious".
Alura pleaded guilty to one charge under the Building Act in the Hutt Valley District Court, which carried a maximum fine of $200,000.
He said the sentence reflected the risk posed to human life, the length of time Alura failed to comply with the council, and the need to deter other building owners from delaying strengthening or demolition work.
Council manager for environmental consents Helen Oram said: "As a nation, we learnt some harsh lessons from the Christchurch and Kaikoura quakes, and local authorities and property owners need to keep these lessons top of mind.
"One of council's main aims when taking this prosecution was to send the message to other building owners, who might be thinking about dragging their feet on earthquake strengthening, that they need to think again."
Newshub.
