CURTAINS AND DECANTING

                                   

 

 Curtains.  When you leave your apartment, your curtains and blinds will have to be taken down.  Any masonry dust or asbestos dust would cling to them, which would be dangerous.

Conroys, our chosen removals firm, does not take down curtains or replace them, and blinds are a problem, too.  So we are working on avenues for this, as our original contact unfortunately let us down, and should have some kind of answer shortly. Now that we know it is an HGL problem we know where we stand, and can do something about it.

Project update. The building consent is very close. The structural elements have already been approved, and we have had the fire and ventilation consents for quite some time. The costing process is also nearly there. The trades tenders are close to expectation, and the budget is looking comfortable, too. On Thursday there will be a group project meeting to look at the numbers, and then the contract will be finalised. Everything is very close to ticking off the final boxes and getting the project underway. 

Decant policy. Questions are still coming in about this, so the policy bears repeating.
First, look at your insurance contents policy. You may be eligible for a payment for alternative accommodation and removal, storage and replacement of your furniture.  This is generally quite a bit more than HGL can offer, so it is well worth a look.

But, if you have no contents insurance, or if you did not live in Herbert Gardens in 2016, when the big quake happened, you are eligible for a payment from HGL

Alternative accommodation.  HGL will pay $150 per day for the time you do not have access to your apartment because it is being worked on at that time.  This is a payment per apartment, not per person. And it is only for the time the contractors need your apartment.  If the time is longer than the contractors have estimated, the additional costs will be paid, on application.

Your own choice of alternative accommodation.  You choose it yourself.  You might decide to stay with friends or family, or live in your beach house.  It doesn't matter.  Wherever you stay, the $150 a day will be paid, because it is to make up for not having any access to your apartment. Fill in the application, and once HGL knows what the contractors have scheduled, that amount will be credited to your bank account. How you use it is up to you, but I advise you not to splurge it unthinkingly, because you might be stuck with finding a studio to rent.

Storage. First, internal storage. Where possible, chattels should be stored in rooms that are not being worked on. HGL will make sure those rooms are secure, by installing a temporary lock on the door of each one, and screening where necessary.  Conroy are willing to arrange the movement of heavy furniture into those rooms, and then moving the furniture back when the construction work is finished. To help with this, a single payment ot $600 will be credited to your account.

Second, external storage.  Many apartments have to be completely decanted. Our moving company of choice for this is Conroy. They will pack everything securely into cartons, and those cartons will be freighted down to containers via the hoist (which Aoraki is kindly making available), and then the packed containers will be taken to their holding rooms at Petone. The contents of each apartment will be insured in storage at up to a limit of $45,000. Residents can get greater insurance at their own cost. Where the shareholders have been paid by their insurance company, they will pay for this decant and storage themselves.  Otherwise, HGL will cover the cost.

Packing tips. It is highly recommended that residents pack fragile, cherished, or valuable items such as china or glassware themselves.  Put them in small boxes with soft packaging, and put the small boxes in bigger boxes.  

Dresser and bureau drawers.  Do not leave them empty or half empty!  Fill them with clothes, linen, towels, and such right to the top. It makes it easier for the movers, as well as yourselves.  The same with cupboards in cabinets that are going to be taken away.  And if you have empty suitcases, fill them! 

Boxes. Campbell of Conroys is delivering 100 book cartons and 100 dish cartons tomorrow. Please note how many of each you take on the provided list.  This will make it easier for Conroys, too.