Leaky building law makes drips of ratepayers

Mr Manning - also the developer of the leaking disasters of Sacramento at Botany Downs, West End in Grey Lynn and the Grange, Albany - has escaped with his wallet intact for two reasons.

First, like many of his kind in the feverish housing construction boom, he created a special limited liability company to build this development, then swiftly put it into liquidation when things turned to custard. This closed the door on any compensation claims by disgruntled purchasers.

Second, weathertight resolution service adjudicator Tony Dean has ruled Mr Manning had no personal liability as a director because he had not "worked at the coalface" at Ponsonby Gardens. "He may have encouraged his people to cut costs, time and corners, but he never instructed his people to build in contravention of the building code."

So much for the captain being in charge of his ship and all that.

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