The NZ Earthquake Commission (EQC) will have 350 assessors and loss adjusters in Christchurch this week in a bid to fast-track claims.

The commission will use a new rapid form of assessment to determine where quake-damaged homes fit on the repair priority list. This will be achieved by undertaking 15-minute checks on the buildings.

EQC CEO Ian Simpson says the rapid assessments will give homeowners greater certainty.

However, this is just an initial assessment, to ascertain priorities for repairs, which Mr Simpson says will give resident a timeframe for when EQC assessors can return for a full inspection.

“At the same time we are working on emergency repairs to properties that are not weather-tight or habitable, so people can stay in their homes – at least temporarily,” he said.

The program will be running for the next six weeks, with the assessment teams classifying buildings as having severe structural damage, minor damage or none.

Houses with severe structural damage will be revisited for a full assessment within four months, minor claims will wait between four to six months and those properties that have no structural damage will wait up to nine months.

Mr Simpson says this program is “not a guarantee that a fix is around the corner”, but is about keeping residents informed of the EQC’s recovery process.