Landlord pays for home’s power danger

A woman was sent flying when she touched a live wire in the garden of the Taumarunui property she was renting, the Tenancy Tribunal has heard.

When Steve and Marlene Bishop moved into the home in May last year they noticed bare wiring where power points or light switches needed to be installed. Subsequently they realised the electrical work was far worse than they had first thought.

Landlord Chris Eblett told them he would fix the wiring within a couple of weeks.

But about two months into their tenancy, Marlene brushed against an earth spike while weeding the garden and received a shock that knocked her across the lawn.

Thinking it was meant to be live, she simply avoided it from then on, she said.

Once the couple became aware of the danger posed by the house, they stopped having their grandchildren over.

Only a few of the lights and two power points actually worked, the Bishops said, restricting their use of cooking facilities and appliances.

The lines company visited the home in October to replace the meters. At that time, a worker filed a health and safety report stating the dodgy wiring was done by someone unqualified.

Later an inspection carried out by an electrician said Marlene received the electric shock from the earth pin because it was live at 227 volts, making it a ‘‘public hazard’’.

The tribunal ruled that although Eblett may not have been directly responsible for the ‘‘substandard and illegal’’ wiring, he was aware the house was not in a reasonable state.

Eblett, who did not attend the hearing, has been ordered to pay the Bishops $5951 in exemplary damages and compensation.

The Bishops moved out of the home last month.