In April 2014 the Institution of Professional Engineers dismissed a complaint about Alan Reay and his involvement with the design and building of the CTV building that collapsed killing 115 people in the 22 February 2011 earthquake because Dr Reay was no longer a member of IPENZ.  In a judgment 7 December 2018 in Attorney General v IPENZ & anor [2018] NZHC 3211 the High Court (Collins J)  decided that IPENZ was wrong in its interpretation of the word”member” and that member included a person that had resigned after the complaint was made.  So IPENZ is now able to consider complaints about Dr Reay.

In Ginivan & Ors v Southern Response Earthquake Services Ltd [2018] NZHC 2403 the High Court considered an application by home owners of a house being rebuilt for orders requiring Southern Response to pay specified expert engagement expenses because Southern Response apparently refused to pay the costs of building experts suggested by the homeowners.  The homeowners proposed using Warren & Mahoney as architects.  Its price for plans and related architectural work was $195,000.  Southern Response regarded the fee as unreasonable and got a price from Eco Workshop for $114,000.  The policy provided that Southern Response would pay the reasonable costs of any architects to rebuild the house provided that Southern Response approve the costs before they are incurred.  The Court decided that the homeowner had the right to choose the architect, but the costs must be objectively reasonable.  It put in place a process for consideration and payment of fees.