A third group or residents who were due to move back in from Saturday have been told their temporary accommodation and food allowances have now been extended until Saturday, February 16.

Residents in two groups have moved back into about 170 apartments since late January.

"The engineers are continuing to work through their respective queries to enable the progressive re-occupation of apartments," builder Icon said in a letter to residents on Friday.

"As there are various parties involved it is important that all queries are satisfied."

Residents were first evacuated on Christmas Eve after hearing and seeing cracks in a wall.

Design engineers WSP maintain the building is structurally sound overall - a verdict also made by the government's independent engineering experts.

Some 74 apartments were deemed fit for reoccupation by the body corporate's engineers Cardno in late January while another 97 passed the test in early February.

Icon expects Cardno will release a third list of safe-to-occupy apartments within the next week.

Some of the residents of the units cleared for return have refused to move back because they say the building is still a "construction zone".

Australian Associated Press