15 JULY 2023
Brian Tucker is forking out thousands of dollars on quarterly strata fees and paying down his mortgage on an apartment that’s been uninhabitable for more than four years.
So far this year NSW Fair Trading has issued more than 30 work rectification orders across building sites, including The Laneways Rosebery, which remains empty and has serious structural defects, and Toplace’s Vicinity complex in Canterbury over “potential serious defects”.
Administrators appointed to Toplace estimate about 600 creditors have been impacted by its financial woes and residents at the Vicinity complex now fear they’ll have to foot the multi-million-dollar repair bill.
Those working on the coalface in fixing and preventing building defects are adamant about how much the regulatory landscape has changed since Mascot Towers. Alongside new powers given to the Building Commissioner, a five-star rating system for builders and developers called iCIRT and 10-year defect insurance for apartment buildings is now in place.
In a statement, NSW Minister for Building, Fair Trading and Better Regulation Anoulack Chanthivong acknowledged there was still progress to be made on building reform.
“Dodgy builders should pay for their dodgy work, so we’re urging Toplace’s administrator to act quickly and provide certainty to owners,” he said.
“NSW Fair Trading is working with Strata Communities Australia (NSW) and the Owners Corporation Network to assist strata managers and owners within Toplace buildings.”
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