When is this ever going to stop? When I bought my old strata property we discovered it didn’t meet building codes in a number of areas. We couldn’t get the builder to fix anything. Our insurer said we had to get it done or else. So we, those who paid for new properties we bought off the plan, had to fork out money to get at least some of the areas brought up to building codes. That builder closed his business. We couldn’t take action against the new business because the old business built our complex.
And here we are 15 years later. No further ahead. I cannot see how anyone thinks that new owners should have to pay an extra couple percent of the purchase price to have their new homes “repaired” which is one option I have heard. When we have a lemon law for new cars, because when we pay $25,000 for a new car we should expect to have one that is built correctly and functions properly, why do we not have a law for new apartments costing hundreds of thousands! Why do we not have a “lemon law” for apartments where the builder/developer are required to have money put aside for repairs.
It is disgusting that people have to put up with this. It is ridiculous that they have to fight for what they paid for – a building that meets requirements and is built correctly. I have bought new. I thought it would be better than “old”. Less to fix. Less to do. But I was fixing and finding things to fix for the 13 years I lived there.
And here we have a government who believes the answer to our housing crisis is to build, build, build more and more apartments. No thought as to the problems already encountered (which I believe I have read 80% have had faults in the past) No strata owner buying new/off the plan should have to put their hand in their pocket to pay for corrections for a product that should, like your toaster in your kitchen, be covered when things “don’t work”. There seems to be more rules/laws for home appliances than for your actual home! And we should be angry about that!