[Danny D]

Just to keep Flat-chat readers updated. Despite it being crystal clear that no renovations can be undertaken  in apartment blocks in Metropolitan Melbourne during stage 4 unless the WHOLE block is empty this can be easily rorted. If the renovator, Strata managers and OC connive to allow same then they just go ahead and claim it is emergency work. If you protest to the police they will visit but have no clue as to stage 4 building regs and will accept anything the renovator says that it is essential work and needs to be finished. Other than getting Daniel Andrews to visit himself we see no answer to our plight.

 

[Danny D]

Hi Jimmy T,

We contacted The Age (Rachel Eddie) who kindly got the situation clarified with the DHHS. At the time they didn’t consider it a news story but that was before this rorting.  We also wrote to the Herald Sun, The ABC, Daniel Andrews and Jenny Mikakos but no reply.

Contacted our local councillor who turned out to live in same apartment and was a friend of the owners. Anyway COVID restrictions are not their responsibility.

If I was health worker being woken up after a night shift then the work would be stopped by now. If you have a further idea with the media then pleased to hear (need your contact dets) we are happy to take part. My partner and two other lady friend neighbours are all complaining about their mental stress which is very relevant at the moment.

Before the DHHS ruling it was a grey area, why they didn’t consider apartment blocks when ruling what constituted an empty building, I don’t know. The OC manager has tried to warn me off speaking to the press and follow OC dispute rules.

I think this hardly applies to an illegal act. I have reported the situation to the Strata Community Association of which they are a member. The OC  say renovations are a private matter and have no control – but surely they have control over the common areas which would stop the work as the builders would have no access.

[Danny D]

Hi Jimmy T,

Thank you for making people making people aware of ‘no renovations in apartment buildings during Melbourne stage 4’ .It was good to get that clarified by the DHHS. Unfortunately the renovation work above my head continues. Why? You might ask. Well the owner/builder is now claiming that as he has ripped out all the services and made the place uninhabitable. He now claims the work is ‘essential’ in order to make the place inhabitable and can therefore continue. The OC take a passive attitude, whilst allowing the owner access to the common areas. The only remaining course of action now is to get the police to visit the apartment. Reporting online COVID breaches gets you nowhere and with no feedback.
When you are dealing with someone whose only interest is ‘self interest’ then you have a battle. To say there is collusion might be wrong but when an email from the Owner to the OC manager ends with ‘Lunch is on me’ you may wonder. Any suggestions appreciated.

 

[Danny D]

After a month of noise from a renovation above together with a total lack of interest from the Strata Managers or Owners I have last got a result. On Friday the DHHS clarified the situation regarding apartments that building work is only allowed if the WHOLE building is empty.

[Danny D]

Thank you all for your input. I have written to the ABC pointing out the  anomaly that an apartment block’s  common parts are treated the same as if it were a street with people passing each other in the open air.

The 6 days of jack hammering and subsequent grinding of the concrete is now over. The next stages will just be hammering/sawing etc which will only affect our apartment to any real extent so getting other apartments to join a campaign would be difficult. Next step is to contact our local councillor. We have recordings of the jack-hammering so let’s hope we can get a result. An injunction With VCAT would be enjoyable to serve but as the owner is also the builder he would have an in house lawyer who would inflate a damages claim should we lose. Let’s see how we go.

[Danny D]

The block is 9 stories high. The owner doing the reno is also his own building company. He is also on the owners committee. Apart from putting a few notices in the lifts giving times of noisy work i.e 9-10 10.30-12.30 and 1-2 he is oblivious to the many complaints by residents as is the building manager and OC chairman they just say he is legally able to do the work. I am assuming he just told them building construction is a ‘permitted’ industry. I asked them to check the Covid hotline but they have done nothing. It smells of collusion. The rules for building works are that the house must be empty. With a Strata apartment it is empty but we have builders using the common parts causing extra Covid risk. It seems there is a big loophole in this area. I reported on the Covid hotline but you get no feedback. With a lot of money I could go for an injunction with VCAT but that would add to the stress. Does anyone have some legal expertise in this matter. Thanks for all your input so far.

 

[Danny D]

The noise and disturbance has been stressful enough without getting our pictures in the papers. We called at the local police station in person but they referred us to the Covid hotline.
What I was hoping was that someone would be able to tell me whether major renovations in a Strata block are allowed during Stage 4 lockdowns in Melbourne.

[Danny D]

I have reported them to the Covid Hotlline which gets referred to the local police but you get no feedback.
The work is likely to take about 10 weeks. Someone said a renovation can be completed if started before the restrictions came into place. They started 12 hrs before.

[Danny D]

The property is in inner Melbourne subject to Stage 4 restrictions

[Author]

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