Betrayal the Other-side of Connecting Partition: A Builders Fateful Effect on Our Peaceful Sanctuary
In the heart of Lawrence street Melbourne stood our beautiful refuge of some greater than 20 years, a secret special architecturally designed house and garden in the centre of the storm of the city streets. For greater than 20 years, it was a gorgeous place of solace, a shelter of shimmering beauty and asylum.
As an prestigious architect creator, my friend had donated to our community with numerous city improvement proposals, but of these none were more personal and loved that the modern design of the Lawrence Street, Alexandria, Victorian conversion. Featured in the Sydney Morning Herald, it was applauded as a creative masterpiece, weaving old-world appeal with neo elegance.
The Victorian transmutation was a creed to architectural creativity—a three-story addition and conversion to a late Victorian semi-attached, providing a house for a family and a studio. The premier feature was the light tower, far above the roof with floating stairs, capturing the core of the southeastern and north west skies. French sash windows dressed the main bedroom, while timber casement windows embellish in the bathroom welcomed views and filtered light.
However, this pleasant existence was shattered when a new neighbour, a builder, entered the scene next door. Initially welcomed, his actions soon created absolute chaos threatening the safety of everyone in the area. Without warning, he began demolishing our brick supporting wall, the major load supporting wall of our bedroom. At one stage he had constructed a hose from his roof diverted water into our office, causing several thousand dollars damage to the upstairs rooms, and undermining the footing of the house.
In addition to outline the absolute lack of building experience, we through investigation found that the intermediate wall lacked the required fire rating, a major oversight that endangered our safety. In spite of our urgent attempts to seek resolution the problem with the neighbour's and contacting the council, the council said the builder's inspector had already approved on the project, ignoring our concerns and leaving us open to fire.
Despite getting a legal judgement in their favour and recompense for restitution, the emotional toll was abysmal and created many unpleasant memories. They decided to sell their beautiful home, we mourned the loss of our garden refuge, another victim of proper government oversight and dangerous building practices. The lack of oversight and appropriate governance by local government allowed this tragedy to unfold, heightening the need for greater responsibilities and legal protection for homeowners.
As we grapple with the effects of this experience, we are left to ponder: What assistance do homeowners have when their greatest financial investment are threatened by the carelessness of dodgy builders?
Where to Start - Voting the Competent and Unqualified Construction Companies in Commonwealth of Australia..?
The Insolvent, Accused, and the end of Building CompanyToplace
from Oct 2023
A Suspect adviser was deeply solicitous with getting his insolvent company a very lucrative building contract — oversight of the dissolution of Insolvent Jean Nassif's property empire, which drowned under financial obligations exceeding $1.24 billion, inclusive $88.5 million payable to suppliers and sub-contractors.
New revelations about the downfall of Nassif's Toplace corporation have emerged in evidence given to the Australian Commonwealth Federal Court this week by bankruptcy managers from dVT Group of Companies. These documents reveal that secured creditors such as offshore lenders in tax havens, are owed $1 billion.
Additional Relevant Information:
Jean Nassif, and Toplace's Skyview construction in Castle Hill.
Unsecured creditors, have issued financial claims with a total estimated quarter of a billion.
Federal Court claims also tell that Riad Tayeh, business founder of dVT Group of companies, played a key duty in securing his firm's appointment as bankruptcy managers. Even though being declared bankrupt in July 2022 with millions in debt in debt, Tayeh, now a consultant, and partner Antony Resnick went to crucial meetings with Toplace top managers in the days before the companies appointment as bankruptcy managers.
As well as those at the meetings on June 2020 was Jean Nassif's 29-year-old daughter, Ashlyn, whose legal certificate has been suspended while she fights charges related to a $150 million fraud tied to Toplace's Skyview construction development in Castle Hill.
Riad Tayeh was legally bankrupt in June last year.
Just days before these meetings, an arrest warrant was issued of Jean Nassif, 55, who escaped to Dubai in October 2022. Jean and Ashlyn Nassif are accused of creating false documentation to secure a $150 million loan from Westpac.
In July, Resnick and fellow dVT partner Suelen McCallum were nominated voluntary bankruptcy managers for Toplace. by Jean Nassif, its sole director The bankruptcy administrators now face the task of handling one of NSW's biggest corporate collapses.
Resnick filed an affidavit in the Federal Court indicating that while Toplace's assets are valued at approximately $1.47 billion, its debts are nearly the same amount. Administrators are also investigating more than 3,000 residential apartments still under development.
Further complicating the administrators' task a staff member suggested there may be another $400 million in loans involving Nassif entities that are not yet under administration. adding that Toplace's financial books had not been properly updated since 2021.
Sydney Buildings Falling Down... Nightmare on Builders Street?!
Continuing from my opinion piece "Holding the Line" (https://shorturl.at/4xbiF), the following stories outline a persistent sickness within the Sydney housing and property market. Despite recently updated NSW Building Property legislation, many investors are forced to buy homes that do not guarantee the safety of their money and investment.
These stories often go unnoticed and become the burden of socially righteous politicians in search of votes. The diminishing hope that government and local councils will provide a safe pair of hands for Australians striving to live the Aussie homeowner dream is disheartening.
Failures of Governance
- New Tower Block Evacuated Amid Cracks Concern: (https://t.ly/8b5Xd)
- Opal Tower Evacuation Amid Structural Concerns: (https://t.ly/vy_eG)
Betrayal Behind the Walls: A Neighbor's Ordeal
In the heart of Alexandria stood my friends David and Anne's sanctuary—a walled garden amidst the chaos of city streets. For 30 years, it was a place of solace and safety. David, an esteemed architect, had graced our community with numerous urban projects, none as beloved as the Lawrence Street Victorian conversion. Hailed as a masterpiece, it blended old-world charm with modern elegance.
The Victorian conversion featured a two-storey addition and renovations to a late Victorian terrace, highlighted by a light tower soaring above the main structure with suspended stairs. French windows adorned the bedroom, while timber casement windows in the bathroom welcomed views and filtered light.
As the design set a precedent, builders and designers began poaching the concept. Paul Meek, a builder, purchased the single-storey terrace adjoining my friends' and sought to incorporate David's design concept into his new renovation.
Life was reasonable until Meek began demolishing the upper walls and roof of his terrace, causing horrendous noise and damage to David and Anne's wall. When confronted, Meek revealed large cracks on their wall but refused entry for inspection.
Eventually, David hired an unbiased engineer to inspect the wall at his and Anne's expense, as the City of Sydney had failed to include a Dilapidation Report in Meek's Development Consent.
The wall damage was just the beginning. David and Anne experienced flat car tires from builders' screws, water damage in their home, and other disruptive issues. Despite legal advice, they struggled to hold Meek accountable. Offers from Meek to repair the damage were refused, and my friends settled for a small sum for walls and ceiling damage.
Meek's negligence continued with a faulty stormwater system, causing further damage and concerns about termite risks. Complaints to the Council and Building Certifier were dismissed, leading to a futile letter of demand from David's solicitor.
After repeated flooding incidents and confrontations, David and Anne sought conciliation through the NSW Community Justice Centre, but the Meeks refused. Left with no choice, David and Anne sold their house and retired to the NSW far south coast. The legitimacy of private certifiers approving building works remains under scrutiny by State and Local Government and Royal Commission investigations.
Conclusion
"We did everything we could to resolve these issues; however, although we received minor compensation, it was nothing compared to the stress we endured trying to get our neighbor to build responsibly, and a state government and local council who could do nothing to protect us due to a lack of proper governance."
Australian homeowners are left to ponder: What other disasters are waiting to destroy their dreams? What recourse do house, apartment, and property owners have when their sanctuaries are threatened by greed, incompetence, and negligence? Even with recent legislation in NSW, it fails to provide complete protection for homeowners.
