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Homeowners Face Nervous Wait as Taupō Man Allegedly Misrepresents Over 1000 Homes
Homeowners across New Zealand are in a state of anxiety as they await developments following allegations that a Taupō man used the identities of qualified engineers to improperly approve more than 1000 buildings.
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Forty-two councils are now engaged in a race against time to contact homeowners whose producer statements and designs were signed off by Jonathan Beau Hall of Kodiak Consulting Ltd.
Concurrently, the police are conducting an investigation while officials conduct checks to ensure the structural integrity of the residential and commercial buildings he approved.
Peter Gillespie, a resident of Acacia Bay, is among the over 1000 new owners of residential and commercial properties from the Far North to Queenstown who received a letter from his council, indicating that his property may be affected.
“I was very surprised because throughout the entire building process, I dealt with an excellent building company and a fantastic designer,” Gillespie shared with Newshub.
Engineering NZ discovered by chance, through a member of the public, that Taupō-based Hall had forged documents required for building consents using the identities of chartered professional engineers without their permission.
“This is a case of intentional misrepresentation,” stated Richard Templer, CEO of Engineering New Zealand.
“The complaint and subsequent investigation were triggered when someone questioned the design and reached out to one of the engineers involved, who confirmed their lack of involvement and disassociation from the documents,” explained Templer.
The documents in question include producer statements, which provide assurance to councils that new designs meet the Building Code and consent requirements when signed by a chartered professional engineer.
Newshub attempted to contact Jonathan Hall of Kodiak Consulting, but he did not respond to their calls.
Although Hall is listed on Engineering NZ’s website as an international engineering technologist, he is not a chartered professional engineer.
According to allegations, Hall took charge of the designs and instead of submitting them to a professional engineer for review and approval, he resorted to “designing, cutting, pasting signatures, and submitting to the council,” Templer revealed.
Waikato District Mayor Jacqui Church stated that her region alone has over a hundred potentially falsely approved homes, while Taupō may have up to 400.
“It’s crucial that we address this issue promptly to alleviate the worries and concerns of affected individuals,” emphasized Church.
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The current focus revolves around identifying affected homes and assessing their structural safety.
“For homes or buildings that received consent before 2016, there is no cause for worry. We draw a helpful line in the sand. However, for the seven-year period since, we will concentrate our efforts on identifying those involved, the extent of the issue, and promptly contacting affected individuals,” Church added.
Engineering NZ confirmed that the alleged fraud is now under police investigation.
“If there are significant design flaws, they will need to be rectified, which will be a complex process. My primary concern is how this will be funded,” expressed Templer.
Homeowner Peter Gillespie hopes he is among the fortunate ones.
“The specific properties haven’t been identified yet, so maybe I’ve managed to avoid the issue. Who knows!” Gillespie exclaimed.
Engineering NZ and councils urge concerned homeowners, particularly those in the central North Island regions encompassing Rotorua, Waipa, Waikato, and Taupō, to reach out for assistance.
In a statement, the Taupō District Council affirmed that their staff and contracted engineers are working diligently to ascertain the extent of potential problems arising from the alleged misrepresentations.
The council has already made contact with some affected property owners but anticipates that several hundred projects may be impacted.
Council Chief Executive Julie Gardyne acknowledged the community’s apprehension caused by this situation.
“We have assembled a dedicated project team to swiftly identify affected buildings and determine necessary actions going forward. We will maintain direct communication with affected property owners throughout this process,” assured Gardyne.
SOURCE: NEWSHUB