About RAS
On this page:
Introducing the Residential Advisory Service
RAS is a free, independent and easy to use service for residential property owners who are facing challenges in getting their home repaired or rebuilt after it has been damaged in a natural disaster.
This service is the place to start if you have a question about your rebuild or repair process. It helps you to better understand what is going on with your own repair or rebuild and is focussed on progressing the issues between home owners, insurance companies and EQC.
You can meet with a broker who has experience working with homeowners, insurers and EQC. If your situation has technical aspects it may be referred to the RAS technical panel which can provide independent comment on your insurer’s and home owner’s reports. This may be sufficient to give the assurance that the repair solution is appropriate, but if there are concerns these will be highlighted to you and your broker for consideration. If your situation has a legal aspect the broker has access to qualified lawyers from Community Law to offer advice.
RAS has proven effective in achieving results for homeowners. RAS is agile and flexible and it has evolved to meet homeowners' needs.
Meet our team
Brokers:
Ken Pope
Ken has managed RAS since it started in 2013, he has extensive experience working with homeowners and insurers.
Jules Dorrian
Jules has worked in the recovery space for 8 years with many organisations in New Zealand and Australia. She has specialist skills in helping homeowners in Multi-Unit Buildings.
Breakthrough Services offers free assistance to anyone lacking confidence in the way their earthquake claim is progressing. The aim is to understand where the claim is at from the homeowner’s perspective and facilitate a process that deals with the stumbling blocks. Their brokers can access legal and technical advice, facilitate meetings with insurers and EQC, bring managers and technical staff to the table, and ensure there are agreed actions for progress.
Breakthrough Services team from left to right, Sarah Yanicki, Leanne Curtis and Marcus Irvine.
Community Law Canterbury provide legal services to the Residential Advisory Service.
Community Law Canterbury is a well-known and respected community based organisation that is experienced in operating in the Canterbury environment with insurance and earthquake issues.
![]() Donna Cameron BN LLB AAMINZ |
![]() Mikaela Taggart LLB BA |
![]() Lara Prince LLB BA |
Our Technical Panel
The panel comprises professionals from a range of independent specialist engineering areas including quantity surveying, geotechnical services and structural engineering from Opus, Aurecon, and Rawlinsons. The panel will effectively peer review and advise only on existing plans and information and will not provide new designs.
Governance
Governance documents
- Memorandum of understanding [PDF 163KB]
- Terms of reference [PDF 313KB]
Governance group
From 1 July 2017 RAS is now fully funded and operationalised by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).
The RAS Governance group oversees the service, sets the strategy, makes key decisions and manages relationships across key agencies.
The members of the group are:
- Mike West (MBIE) - Chair
- Jenny Hughey (Christchurch City Council)
- Anne Shaw (DPMC).
The governance group meets monthly. Minutes from these meetings are available to download below.
2018
- Governance group meeting minutes - 1 November 2018 [PDF 53KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 7 September 2018 [PDF 59KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 13 July 2018 [PDF 59KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 1 May 2018 [PDF 61KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 28 March 2018 [PDF 71KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 1 February 2018 [PDF 72KB]
2017
- Governance group meeting minutes - 28 November 2017 [PDF 73KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 19 October 2017 [PDF 63KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 22 August 2017 [PDF 191KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 6 July 2017 [PDF 143KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 12 May 2017 [PDF 181KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 30 March 2017 [PDF 200KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 9 February 2017 [PDF 229KB]
2016
- Governance group meeting minutes - 1 December 2016 [PDF 193KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 17 November 2016 [PDF 234KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 6 October 2016 [PDF 211KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 18 August 2016 [PDF 200KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 28 July 2016 [PDF 201KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 23 June 2016 [PDF 201KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 5 May 2016 [PDF 204KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 7 April 2016 [PDF 227KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 3 March 2016 [PDF 213KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 27 January 2016 [PDF 218KB]
2015
- Governance group meeting minutes - 17 December 2015 [PDF 212KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 25 November 2015 [PDF 214KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 8 October 2015 [PDF 202KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 3 September 2015 [PDF 132KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 6 August 2015 [PDF 134KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 11 June 2015 [PDF 137KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 7 May 2015 [PDF 137KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 9 April 2015 [PDF 156KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 12 March 2015 [PDF 140KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 5 February 2015 [PDF 152KB]
2014
- Governance group meeting minutes - 11 December 2014 [PDF 149KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 23 October 2014 [PDF 129KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 23 September 2014 [PDF 149KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 28 August 2014 [PDF 138KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 1 August 2014 [PDF 135KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 18 June 2014 [PDF 116KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 29 May 2014 [PDF 187KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 9 April 2014 [PDF 130KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 6 March 2014 [PDF 127KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 29 January 2014 [PDF 127KB]
2013
- Governance group meeting minutes - 18 December 2013 [PDF 114KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 28 November 2013 [PDF 92KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 24 October 2013 [PDF 111KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 25 September 2013 [PDF 100KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 22 August 2013 [PDF 128KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 18 July 2013 [PDF 135KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 26 June 2013 [PDF 150KB]
- Governance group meeting minutes - 24 May 2013 [PDF 200KB]