This is a photo of a set of windows in the downstairs part of our munted house. This was taken in early December 2011. It has gotten worse, as you would expect with the amount of shaking that has gone on.
We were all set for a rebuild - our insurance company had been very helpful but had gone as far as they could without the Earth Quake Commission signing us off their books and making the over-cap payment they owe for their share of the damage. You can imagine our horror when, just this week mind you, we discovered that the REAL reason EQC haven't paid out yet is because someone has decided that the house can be repaired. Yeah. A 2 story house on at least an 8 degree lean, on land that requires new foundation standards (our original foundations were put down in 1923) - REPAIRED? What a load of bollocks. Suffice to say we're not happy and not convinced that anyone at EQC knows what they are doing. For months now they have fobbed us off with a different excuse each time about the non-payment. Perhaps they don't have the money? Its clear they don't have the brains. Why go and review a house 6 months after they had made the decision to hand it over for rebuild.
We know we are not the only ones in this situation - which actually makes it worse, doesn't it!
