Post-quake rebuilds dominate class action over non-compliant steel

A class action for homeowners who believe non-compliant steel has been used in their houses has found most of the victims live in Christchurch.

Eighty five per cent of those registered for the legal action are Cantabrians, and the worst part is many of those are post-quake rebuilds.

It took five years of fighting for Ruth to get a replacement house for her home destroyed in the Christchurch earthquakes.

But now she faces another fight after discovering what she believes is non-compliant mesh used in the new home's construction.

"It's just another nail isn't it, just another hit," she said. 

"This house came down to a whole lot of tears, sleepless nights and fighting. We thought when we moved into our new home it was all over."

A Commerce Commission investigation has seen three steel mesh suppliers plead guilty to misleading customers that their steel complied with a new earthquake safety standard.  Another supplier is still before the courts.

Adina Thorn lawyers have launched a class action. 

"We believe there's over a million pieces of steel effected by this. My firm's had 600 people make contact," said Adina Thorn, the class action lawyer. 

"The mesh is not what it says it is. This is about people calling these companies to account and saying, 'hey that's not good enough, we've been deceived, we want to be compensated for that'." 

However in a statement, Mark Malpass, CEO of one of the companies, Steel and Tube, says, "Our view is that the steel mesh will perform in materially the same way as mesh tested in accordance with the standard."

Steel and Tube says it's concerning that homeowners are being targeted by people spreading unnecessary worry, fear and alarm. And the company says it will vigorously defend any class action if it proceeds.

But the class action lawyers say it's still distressing for their Christchurch clients, and tens of thousands could be affected.

"The emotional toll of going through an earthquake, earthquakes, EQC, insurers, and then potentially having mesh under your homes is just unspeakable," Ms Thorn said.

And she is encouraging other affected homeowners to join the class action for justice too.