Construction issues resolution in Sydney - part 17

It's been a while since the last post

In January 2016 the owner lodged an application to NCAT against owners corporation to fix three major defects:

- waterproofing of large windows in the living room and bedroom which led to windows full replacement

- bathroom drain fix

- planterbox fix

The owners corporation didn't come to mediation and tribunal ordered to fix all defects within 2 months (the deadline was 8th July 2016).

The owners corporation as usual didn't rush to comply with the order regarding two items: bathroom and planterbox. The windows works started end of April 2016.

At the same time owners corporation decided to check whether it's a warranty and original builder should fix the issues. That was also related to the fact that the variation was submitted by the current contractor who started fixing the defect.

So the owners corporation stopped all works in the middle and went off for a month to "make decision". The decision was made at the end of July. All that time instead of windows there was plywood (image)

In the middle of June the owners corporation requested extension for two months from the tribunal and tribunal granted extension.

Two other problems were still not addressed and the owners corporation didn't even want to fix those.

The strata manager didn't provide any information to the owner during that period and only final decisions, taking the side of majority of executive committee and not the right side.

Long story short an extension came to an end 8th September and the owners corporation had to address the two remaining issues with only one quote from some contractor. This is against the rules, because at least three quotes have to be obtained.

The works were finished 1st October 2016 which is 5 months since it started.
5 months to actually fix the defects in one apartment!
All that time it's been an ongoing building site.

Now the owners corporation are agitated about the total costs involved to fix the defects that were original builder's responsibility.

But finally the defects were fixed - 5 years later! 😃

It would have been much easier if owners, executive committee members and strata managers were educated enough and resolve the issue sooner than later.
There are aids to improve this.

Also every strata unit owner should know what is their responsibility and what is entire owners corporation's. That knowledge helps to save enormous amounts of time and money in many cases.
In the case I described in a set of posts, some executive committee members and unconscious strata managers tried to make the owner responsible for the defects that are indeed common property to maintain. They didn't succeed in that though. :)

Great example of very useful tool to help identify the responsibility for the defects is StrataBoss app http://strataboss.com.au