Building Quality Issues make Front Page News

In last week’s Australian Financial Review (7 April 2011) Ben Hurley reported about the perennial issue of the poor quality of high density building construction and defect claims about those buildings in an article called “The Lows of High Rise”.

A variety of strata experts and groups are quoted in the article which makes the following interesting points –

• Government often fails to include or recognise strata schemes in legal initiatives (like Queensland flood relief)
• Owners in some larger strata schemes are paying for community infrastructure (like road, street lighting and drains) without getting rate relief
• Many owners don’t understand the shortcomings of strata ownership
• Building certification has let strata owners down badly over the last decade
• Consumer protections for building quality for free standing home owners don’t apply in many buildings over 3 storeys where Home Owners Warranty does not exist
• Strata schemes are losing more cases (or finding more builders going into liquidation)
• Strata owners need to co-operate to get good outcomes when building defects occur

All these things are true and worth reminding everyone about.

But, it’s about time the critical issue of building defects makes the front page (and I hope it continues to do so) so that awareness increases and changes are made to improve consumer protections.

I’ve been involved in making defect claims for a long time and seen owner’s rights get watered down and eroded.  It’s wrong and I’m committed to trying to improve  outcomes on building quality issues for owners.

After all, when people spend hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more) for a new apartment they are entitled to expect and get a properly constructed building, for the building to comply with all building controls and standards and to be able to use their apartment in comfort, safety and securely.

So, see you in your defect free apartment and strata scheme soon.

Francesco …