Insurance company GIO has offered to replace fridges that became infested with maggots after a Coniston unit block fire late last year, but stopped short of reimbursing tenants for other belongings that were stolen in the two months they were denied access to their homes.
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The insurer attributed the prolonged no-go order to repeated rain, which delayed essential asbestos repair works.
The November 12 fire caused serious damage to the roof of the Miller Street apartments, resulting in massive losses for upstairs residents.
But downstairs residents were left gutted when their undamaged apartments were overrun with creepy crawlies and repeatedly ransacked in the months they were denied access.
In a statement provided to the Mercury this week, a GIO spokesman said the delays were unavoidable.
"After the initial inspection revealed potential asbestos exposure and concerns over the collapsed roof, the site was deemed unsafe ..., " the spokesman said.
"The [asbestos removal] involved developing a detailed plan ... submitting the plan for review and official approval, carrying out the work itself and then a final inspection and a clearance certificate, which declares the site safe to enter.
"While this process proceeded as quickly as possible, we had 15 days of rain between the last week in November and the first week in January, which prevented the necessary work being carried out."
An asbestos clearance certificate was issued on December 30 and works to make the roof safe concluded on January 7, before an assessor gave the site the all-clear for tenants to regain access on January 8. The apartments had already been repeatedly robbed.
Downstairs residents returned last week to find their fridges standing in brown puddles of putrefied food.
They found beds rumpled by strangers, electrical goods and money missing, and a mysterious pile of vomit in one of the rooms.
The GIO spokesman said the insurer would replace the fridges damaged by insects and food spoiling, "as this is a direct damage from the fire, which cut off the electricity supply".
The stolen items were different.
"While the thefts occurred while the property was being made safe, all reasonable precautions were taken to keep the site secure, including erecting a fence and locking it all up."
Asked who was responsible for safeguarding residents' property, the GIO spokesman said: "Our builders have the responsibility to make the site safe and to ensure the site is secure.
"[The builders] took all reasonable precautions to do this in erecting the fence and locking it all up," the spokesman said.
"When the break-ins occurred, GIO took action by arranging the windows to be replaced and doors to be boarded up to try and prevent any further incursions."
The GIO spokesman said the insurer would review claims for any other items damaged as a result of the delay in works on a "case-by-case basis".
GIO has settled a claim with one tenant whose contents were insured with them.
"Unfortunately, we are not the insurers of the other tenants and they would need to submit theft or damage claims to their own insurer."
None of the other tenants were insured.
They were supported in the aftermath of the fire by several community fund-raising drives and temporary accommodation provided by friends, family and acquaintances.
