Subversiveness the Other-side of Shared Partition: A Neighbour Calamitous Impact on Our Award winning Home

In the heart of Alexandria Melbourne, Australia we had renovated our loving refuge of greater than 20 years, a concealed award winning house and garden in the centre of the noise of its streets. For greater than 20 years, it was a gorgeous sanctuary of comfort, a oasis of beauty and safety.

As an prestigious architect designer, my friend had graced our city with many city improvement design proposals, but of these none were more beloved that the innovative design of the Lawrence Street, Alexandria, Victorian style conversion. Conspicuously in the Sydney Morning Herald, it was hailed as a creative masterpiece, blending old-world magic with modern elegance.

The Victorian transmutation was a creed to architectural ingenuity—a three-story addition and renovations to a late Victorian semi-attached, providing a house for a family and a home office. The highlight was the light tower, far above the main structure with floating stairs, acquiring the core of the south east and north west skies. French style sash windows adorned the master bedroom, while timber casement windows embellish in the bathroom welcomed views and filtered light.

However, our idyllic lifestyle was destroyed when our neighbour, a builder, entered the scene next door. Initially welcomed with open arms, his actions soon created absolute chaos threatening the safety of everyone in the area. Without due diligence, he began demolishing our brick supporting wall, the main load supporting wall of our master bedroom. At one point he had setup a hose from his roof diverting water into our studio, causing over some several thousand dollars damage to our property and undermining its structural integrity.

Additionally to outline the lack of construction experience, we through investigation found that the intermediate wall lacked the required fire rating, a major omission that endangered our safety. In spite of our pressing efforts to seek resolution the issue with the builder and contacting the council, we were informed the builder's inspector had already approved on the building renovations, ignoring our concerns and leaving us vulnerable to harm.

In spite of getting a judgement in their favour and recompense for restitution, the toll was immeasurable and created many unpleasant memories. They decided to sell their beautiful home, we mourned the loss of our garden refuge, another victim of government negligence and dicey building practices. The lack of oversight and governance by government and local council allowed this tragedy to unfold, heightening the need for greater accountability and legal protection for owners.

As we wrestle with the aftermath of this experience, we are left to consider: What recourse do owners have when their greatest financial investment are made vulnerable by the negligence of others?

Where to Commence - Pick the Capable and Unqualified Construction Companies in Commonwealth of Australia..?

The Bankrupt, Accused, and the end of CompanyToplace's Billion-Dollar Empire

from Sept 2023

A Failed building adviser played a pivotal role in securing his insolvency company a highly lucrative job — managing the disintegration of Insolvent Jean Nassif's corporate empire, which went under financial obligations surpassing $1.24 billion, inclusive $88.5 million payable to suppliers and onsite builders.

New disclosures about the ruin of Nassif's Toplace corporation have emerged in documents shown to the Federal Court this week by administrators from dVT Group. These evidence uncover that secured creditors such as banks with mortgages, are owed one thousand million.

Further Applicatory Information:

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

Creditors without Security, have issued financial claims with a total estimated $244 million.

Australian Federal Court filings also tell that Riad Tayeh, founder of dVT Group of companies, which played a fundamental responsibility in securing his firm's assignment as bankruptcy administrators. Even though being announced bankrupt in July last year with $5.4 million in debt, Tayeh, now a consultant, and business colleague Antony Resnick went to essential business meetings with Toplace top managers in the weeks leading up to the firm's appointment as bankruptcy managers.

Included in those involved at the meetings on June 2019 was Jean Nassif's 29-year-old daughter, Ashlyn, whose legal certificate was suspended while she fights charges relating to fraud bound to Toplace's Skyview construction development in Castle Hill.

Riad Tayeh was legally bankrupt in June last year.

Just before these meetings, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Jean Nassif, 55, who escaped to Dubai in November 2022. Jean and Ashlyn Nassif are accused of fraud to secure a $150 million loan from Westpac.

In June, Resnick and fellow dVT partner Suelen McCallum were nominated voluntary bankruptcy managers for Toplace. by Jean Nassif, Toplace's sole director, via email just hours prior. The bankruptcy administrators now face the task of handling one of New South Wales' biggest corporate collapses.

With reference to Toplace's website, Jean Nassif's company has delivered around 30,000 residential units, shopping centers, and commercial properties throughout Sydney. 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.