A Christchurch couple were put on suicide watch after going through six years of litigation to fix their leaky home, according to John Hartevelt of The Press.

Steve Hotton, a Christchurch builder who has repaired 27 leaky homes and is working on four more, is reported to have said that measures, such as home warranty insurance, raised by the Government would have to be part of a series of measures to help leaky home owners.

The unnamed Christchurch couple spent an estimated $200,000 repairing their leaky home.

They were ordered out of the house by their doctor because they both ended up in hospital.

The couple eventually negotiated a settlement, the details of which must remain secret.

Recent figures from the Department of Building and Housing show 6,403 properties nationwide have lodged claims with the Government's Weathertight Homes Resolution Service. The 223 claims on properties in Christchurch represent 85 per cent of all claims in the South Island.

The Building Amendment Bill (No 2) had its first reading in Parliament last week. The bill, which aims to streamline the building consent process, would be one of a series of changes, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said.

"The Government will also be looking at how liability and risk around building is distributed between parties and how it might be better managed. This will include looking at home warranty insurance," Williamson said.

In New South Wales there is a compulsory home warranty scheme for properties valued at more than A$12,000.

Home warranty insurance is already offered by Master Builders and the Certified Builders Association.

Master Builders chief executive Warwick Quinn said while insurance was popular, it should not be compulsory and it should not be statutorily driven by the Government.

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