The role of homeowner context on housing repair outcomes

Project findings

Using claimant survey data and interviews with claimants and stakeholders, we explored how individual and community factors shaped experiences with the cash settlement and housing repair process following the 2016 Kaikōura/Hurunui earthquake. The analysis identified which groups faced the greatest challenges and why, providing insights for targeting support in future events.

The research found that while most claimants completed repairs and were satisfied with outcomes, experiences varied substantially across different groups. Vulnerability emerged through multiple, often overlapping factors including financial capacity, life stage pressures, and capability gaps. Lower-income households, middle-aged claimants with mortgages and children, and those approaching retirement faced the most challenges across wellbeing impacts, contractor affordability, and settlement adequacy. In contrast, retirement-aged claimants and rural claimants demonstrated notable resilience despite conventional assumptions and worse market constraints, likely driven by factors such as established relationships, life experience, and time flexibility.

The findings also identified groups at elevated risk of housing quality challenges. Self-repairs and partial repairs were most common among financially pressured claimants with potentially less construction experience, while incomplete repairs affected ongoing insurability for some. These quality risks and wellbeing impacts often reinforced each other among the same vulnerable groups.

For insurers, building consent authorities, and emergency managers, understanding when and for whom vulnerability arises enables more targeted and responsive support. This includes helping claimants assess settlement adequacy, navigate the repair process, and ensure quality repair outcomes across diverse circumstances and experiences.