Warning issued over ‘potentially unsafe’ homes in Melbourne’s south and west

An unprecedented safety warning has been issued over new homes in Melbourne’s south and west amid an ongoing investigation by Victoria’s building regulator.

The Victorian Building Authority publicly revealed on Thursday morning it was investigating Baba Building Group over “serious allegations” of defective work across five construction sites in Clayton, Officer, Tarneit and Truganina.

The builder has denied allegations of defective work.Credit: Oscar Colman

Baba owner Dheeraj Sandala told The Age he denied allegations the company had encouraged clients to illegally move into unsafe or incomplete homes without an occupancy certificate.

But VBA chief executive officer Anna Cronin said the allegations were so concerning the regulator had taken the unprecedented step of naming Baba Building Group, including the associated Windsor Homes, despite its investigation being ongoing.

Speaking on ABC radio, Cronin said the regulator had ordered the boutique building company back to fix non-compliant and unsafe work at numerous sites.

Victorian Building Authority CEO Anna Cronin has named a builder at the centre of an investigation.

“The allegations are basically that the builder has not built to the permit,” she said.

“This has resulted in significant non-compliance and defective work, and, moreover, that the builder has also been assisting home owners to actually occupy incomplete and potentially unsafe homes.

“These allegations ... really do put consumers severely at risk, and that is why we’ve taken this unprecedented action in terms of issuing a consumer alert during an investigation, rather than waiting to the end.”

As well as monitoring to ensure buildings were repaired to standard, Cronin said court proceedings were progressing against Baba.

Sandala said the company had completed about 100 homes and denied its staff had ever encouraged any client to move in before an occupancy certificate was granted.

“I do not understand why they have done this but, whatever it is, we will face it,” he said.

“Receiving a direction to fix is a normal process to any builder.”

Baba project manager Habeeb Habeed said he was shocked when the company was publicly named by the VBA, saying it had received directions to undertake repairs last week as a normal process of the building industry without warning of any announcements.

“Numerous builders get a notice to fix, but the VBA is particularly highlighting this company, and we don’t know for what reason,” Habeeb said.

“They are making this into a very big thing. They leave big companies alone and we are a very small company – which does not even have an office – and people are pouncing on us to try and make us look bad.”

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