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Betrayal Backside of Connecting Wall: A Builders Fateful Effect on Our Idyllic Shelter

In the Central Business District of Alexandria, Melbourne we had renovated our gorgeous home of greater than 20 years, a concealed special architecturally designed house and garden in the middle of the storm of the city. For 30 years, it was a beautiful refuge of solace, a shelter of shimmering beauty and sanctuary.

As an prestigious architect designer, my friend had tirelessly provided to our city of Sydney with many municipal proposals, but of these none were more personal that the innovative design of the Lawrence Street, Alexandria, Sydney, Victorian conversion. Featured in the Sydney Morning Herald, it was acclaimed as a masterpiece, weaving old-world magic with modern-day elegance.

The Victorian conversion was a creed to architectural creativity—a two and ½-story addition and conversion to a late Victorian terrace, offering a home for a small family and a studio. The premier feature was the light tower, far above the roof with suspended stairs, capturing the core of the southeastern and north west skies. French style sash windows adorned the main bedroom, while timber casement windows decorate in the bathroom welcomed views and filtered light.

However, this pleasant existence was shattered when our neighbour, a builder, moved in next door. Initially welcomed with open arms, his actions soon turned our lives upside down threatening the safety of everyone in the area. Without due diligence, he began demolishing a major supporting wall on our property, the main load supporting wall of our master bedroom. At one period of time he had constructed a hose from his roof diverting water into our studio, causing several thousand dollars damage to the upstairs rooms, and undermining the footing of the house.

To compound matters, we through investigation found that the intermediate wall lacked the required fire rating, a critical oversight that threatened our well-being. Despite our pressing attempts to rectify the problem with the builder and contacting the council, the council said the builder's inspector had already approved on the building renovations, ignoring our concerns and leaving us open to harm.

In spite of getting a legal decision in their favour and recompense for restitution, the emotional toll was immeasurable and created many unpleasant memories. They were forced to sell their beautiful home, we mourned the loss of our award winning sanctuary, another casualty of proper government oversight and unsafe building practices. The lack of proper oversight and governance by government and local council allowed this tragedy to unfold, heightening the need for greater responsibilities and protection for owners.

As we grapple with the aftermath of this experience, we are left to ponder: What help do house owners have when their greatest financial investment are made vulnerable by the carelessness of others?

How to Begin – Vote the Qualified and Incompetent Building Companies in Commonwealth of Australia..?

The Insolvent, Suspect, and the end of Building CompanyToplace's Billion-Dollar Empire

from Aug 2023

A Defendant building adviser played a important part in secured his bankrupt firm a highly lucrative job — supervising the collapse of Insolvent Jean Nassif's business empire, which drowned under liabilities surpassing $1.24 billion, inclusive $88.5 million due to suppliers and sub-contractors.

Fresh disclosures about the ruin of Nassif's Toplace corporation have surfaced in documented evidence presented to the Australian Federal Court this week by bankruptcy administrators from dVT Group. These documents show that secured creditors such as banks with mortgages, are owed one thousand million.

Further Relevant Info:

Riad Tayeh, and Toplace's Skyview development in Castle Hill.

Unsecured creditors, have filed claims totalling an est. quarter of a billion. Federal Court claims also indicate that Riad Tayeh, business founder of dVT Group, which played a fundamental responsibility in assuring his businesses appointment as bankruptcy administrators. Even though being proclaimed financially bankrupt in July last year with millions in debt in debt, Tayeh, now a business consultant, and colleague Antony Resnick attended important meetings with Toplace top managers in the weeks leading up to the companies appointment as bankruptcy managers. As well as those at the meetings on May 2020 was Jean Nassif's 29-year-old daughter, Ashlyn, whose legal certificate has been suspended while she fights charges relating to fraud bound to Toplace's Skyview development in Castle Hill.

Riad Tayeh was declared financially bankrupt in May last year.

Just days before the meetings, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Jean Nassif, 55, who fled Sydney for Dubai in November 2022. Jean and Ashlyn Nassif are accused of creating false documentation to secure a $150 million loan from Westpac.

In August, Resnick and fellow dVT partner Suelen McCallum were made voluntary administrators for Toplace. by Jean Nassif, Toplace's sole director, via email just hours prior. The bankruptcy managers now face the task of handling one of NSW's largest corporate bankruptcy's.

According to Toplace's website, Jean Nassif's company has delivered around 30,000 residential units, shopping centers, and commercial properties throughout Sydney. Despite this, several owners' corporations have filed claims amounting to nearly $124 million to address serious defects in Toplace's buildings.

Further complicating the administrators' task The administrators noted difficulty in unravelling the debt due to “intermingling of financial records,” 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.