New-build nightmare continues at dream Hawke's Bay retirement home

Moyrah Ryan Lewis described the ordeal as "horrendous" one year on. Photo / Warren Buckland

Moyrah Ryan Lewis' Ōtāne house was supposed to be her dream home.

But one year since it was vandalised by a disgruntled builder, it remains at the centre of financial controversy as Ryan Lewis struggles to pay off the home's construction costs.

She now faces subdividing her property, after Tumu ITM exercised its legal right to recover about $12,500 that it is owed for material supplied for the build.

On December 22 last year, 20 double-glazed windows in Ryan Lewis' recently built Ōtāne property were smashed by a disgruntled builder, causing close to $40,000 in damage.

Matthew Harold Healey, then of Waipawa, pleaded guilty in the Waipukurau District Court to wilful damage and was handed a $1000 fine.

Ryan Lewis says the builder dispute was a small part of a bigger problem.

"The nightmare started from the moment that the framework for the house ended up 140cm out," she said.

Moyrah Ryan Lewis after 20 double-glazed windows in her unfinished home were smashed. Photo / Paul Taylor

"The garage was shorter, which stuffed up the kitchen, which meant the cabinets and cupboards didn't fit and they had to spend three days correcting everything to make it fit on the slab.

"Inspectors were coming in and it wasn't passing inspections, and that is when it began to get stressful.

"My husband was taken into hospital from a stroke and I'm on anti-stress medication, anti-depressants and been to counseling. I suppose I have had what you'd call a bit of a breakdown."

As a result, she claimed she was not willing to pay the workers full wages, which led to a confrontation with Healey ahead of the damage he caused.

She finally moved into the property in May – four months later than originally planned – after what she says was a "horrendous" ordeal.

Her financial woes have continued- Tumu ITM is still owed money which has led to a caveat on the home as Tumu exercises its legal right to recover its money.

Tumu ITM commercial manager Greg Danks confirmed that Tumu had registered a caveat over the Ōtāne property in an attempt to "secure the approximately $12,500 owing from materials supplied by Tumu in March to May 2019."

"This caveat was registered in accordance with Tumu's rights under the terms and conditions accepted by the customer when they applied for credit in June 2018," he said.

"Moyrah has contacted Tumu to say that they have agreed to a sale of part of the Ōtāne property and we will be paid from the proceeds of the sale.

"Tumu has consented to this section being sub-divided and sold and will help facilitate the subdivision provided our rights under the caveat are preserved and the outstanding amount owing is paid to us on settlement."

Twelve months on from the incident, Ryan Lewis, who moved to the Bay after 18 years in Tauranga, said she had "never experienced anything like this my entire life," and "will never build another house again."