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In New Zealand, if your insurer arranged and paid for the repairs, your insurer is generally the first party you should contact if damp patches remain after the work is finished. You shouldn't have to work out on your own whether the problem is the insurer's responsibility or the builder's.

Consumer Protection New Zealand says that when an insurance company organises repairs and you're unhappy with the result, it is the insurer's responsibility to coordinate with the tradespeople to ensure the work meets a professional standard. Insurance

Who is responsible for putting it right?

It depends on what is causing the dampness.

• The repairs were inadequate: If water is still getting in because the insured repairs were incomplete or defective, contact your insurer and ask them to arrange an inspection and put the problem right.
• The builder or repairer did defective work: The insurer should generally coordinate with the repairer if it arranged the work. Building law also provides protections for defective residential building work, including a 12-month defect repair period after completion. Once building work finishes
• There is a separate or previously unidentified source of moisture: For example, a leaking pipe, roof leak, faulty drainage or rising damp. Responsibility will depend on the cause, your policy and whether the problem is covered by the original claim or a new claim.

Importantly, the fact that the repair job has been signed off does not, by itself, establish that the dampness has been properly resolved.

What I recommend you do now

1. Photograph the damp patches and record when you first noticed them. Keep copies of the repair documents, reports and correspondence.
2. Write to your insurer, explaining that the repairs are complete but the house remains damp. Ask them to arrange a prompt inspection to identify the moisture source and confirm in writing who will remedy it.
3. Ask for a moisture assessment, not just repainting or treating the visible patches. The underlying source needs to be identified and fixed.
4. Keep the affected areas ventilated where possible and avoid covering up the damp before it has been assessed. If the dampness is spreading or there is a risk of further damage, tell your insurer immediately.

You could write:

Email

Subject
: Request for inspection and rectification of ongoing dampness after insurance repairs

Kia ora,

The insurance-funded repairs to my home have been completed, but damp patches remain. I am concerned that the underlying moisture problem has not been resolved.

Please arrange an inspection to establish the cause of the dampness and confirm what further work is required to put it right. I would also like written confirmation of who is responsible for carrying out and paying for any necessary remedial work.

Please treat this as an ongoing concern with the outcome of my insurance claim and advise me of the next steps and expected timeframe.

I have photographs of the affected areas and can provide these if required.

Ngā mihi, [Your name]

What if the insurer refuses to help?

• If your insurer does not resolve the issue, make a formal complaint through its complaints process. You can then approach its independent dispute resolution scheme. Making a complaint about your financial service providerComplain about your financial services provider
• If the original claim relates to flooding, an earthquake or another natural disaster, the government-funded New Zealand Claims Resolution Service provides free independent support, including access to legal and technical advice. Call 0508 624 327. Who we areWho can access the NZCRS

One important question

What caused the original insurance repairs?

For example, was it flooding or storm damage, a leaking roof or pipe, or something else? That will help me explain more precisely whether the insurer, the builder or another party is likely to be responsible for the remaining dampness.