Protections for apartment buyers in NSW – which already leads other states in terms of consumer safeguards – have strengthened further with a High Court ruling that curbs the ability of developers and builders to pass on liability for defects to subcontractors and consultants.

The country’s highest court last week widened the gap in consumer protection between NSW and other states when it ruled that the developer and builder of a North Sydney apartment building could not apportion liability for faults in the building to other parties.