(Newswire.net — November 28, 2021) — Strata schemes are complex entities that rely on numerous moving parts to make a successful whole. With their increasing numbers, many lots consist of ever-increasing strata titles, and the building sizes are growing to match this demand.
However, such growth comes with some drawbacks, primarily building defects. As builders and developers rush to finish their construction projects, sometimes they can miss or overlook some things. These become significant points of contention once owners and residents settle into their apartments. Unfortunately, the resolution of these defects is often hampered by community sizes and lot complexities, together with the lack of a clear-cut, streamlined rectification process.
A survey was carried out as part of a reform strategy by David Chandler, who is a New South Wales Building Commissioner (OBC), upon his appointment in 2019. In an interview, he discusses the results of a survey, which is the first of its kind, covering buildings erected up to six years ago.
Based on the more than 400 responses collected, the results showed that a surprising 39% of participants reported serious defects that they had observed within their apartment buildings. Of these defects, the most significant ones were fire protection and waterproofing, which had a probability of occurrence score of 14% and 23%, respectively. Others include enclosures, structural and key services.
Additionally, the data revealed a dismal 15% reporting rate, which hampers the resolution efforts. David Chandler claimed that building owners shouldn’t hold back on reporting defects and other problems.
The Commissioner introduced the Residential Apartment Buildings Act which was passed in September 2020. He outlines how the legislation provides the NSW Building Commissioner with powers to perform inspections on any apartment building in the state. Therefore, he can contact the relevant strata manager to create a spot check appointment where he will scrutinize the condition of the common property.
David Chandler also describes the steps his office is taking to hold developers accountable for the quality of their buildings. The Building Commissioner’s immediate action entails inspections on buildings six months away from completion to certify that they are compliant and likely remain so after occupation. There are also plans to audit the designers’ adherence to the Building Practitioners Act and take a closer look at development certifiers.
State Manager Emily Doherty participates in the reformation process dubbed ‘Construct NSW’, which is carried out by the OBC. She, too, expresses her pride in and approval of the project. She commented on how rewarding it is to work in an industry where areas are being created to help provide customers with the confidence to buy, live and also invest in quality strata schemes.
When discussing the measures they are taking, Emily stated that in order to allow owners the enjoyment of living or having the apartment lifestyle they choose, it’s essential that the first step to amend the problem is to identify the defects accurately. Unfortunately, there are many bad stories about building defects, but good stories are starting to emerge.