New owners of Mark Lundy house claim they were not told of property's history

The former home of Mark, Christine and Amber Lundy at 30 Karamea Cres, Palmerston North. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The new owners of the house where Christine and Amber Lundy were brutally murdered more than a decade ago claim they were not told about the property's sinister history.

But the former owner insists they were informed about the cold blooded killings and says he even chipped in financially to help them into the house.

The old Lundy house on Karamea Cres in Palmerston North was sold to Dee and Lance Whippy in September for $285,000, according to QV. The property had a capital valuation of $240,000.

Photo / Mark Mitchell

In August 2000 Mark Lundy's wife Christine and daughter Amber were found dead in the house. Mark Lundy was twice convicted of their murder, in 2002 and 2015, but he has appealed his latest conviction.

February 23, 2015: Mark Lundy in the dock during his retrial. Photo / Mark Mitchell

It was reported tonight that the new owners - a Fijian family of seven - had been unaware of the murders before buying the home last year.

But former owner Nathaniel Satya told the Herald he not only informed the buyers that the Lundys had lived in the house, but had gifted them $57,000 towards the purchase.

Mr Satya is a member of the Palmerston North Fijian community and described Lance Whippy as "a good friend of mine". He said all potential buyers were told of the Lundy connection.

"Everyone walking through there was told about it," he said.

He and his wife Navneeta Satya had owned the house for about 10 years and let it out as a rental property.

"We had about 20 homes," he said.

"I have one left and I'm selling it tomorrow. I've got kids now, I just can't keep up with all the maintenance, and we have invested in one big rental block of flats, that was the only reason I was selling it."

He had helped 24 families now to buy their own homes, he said.

"Lance and Buna [Dee] is one. They couldn't get money. I actually gifted them $57,000," he said.

"It's a gift that I did through the lawyers to help them to service a mortgage."

He said Lance Whippy, a banker, was living overseas but Dee Whippy was living in the house "part-time".