Five year fight for Fraser Island home

DEBORAH Brown’s holiday home in the tranquil atmosphere of Fraser Island has put her through hell for the past five years as she fought for certification.

WAITING: Deborah Brown has been fighting the Queensland Building and Construction Commission to have her home certified. Picture: HAYDEN JOHNSON

DEBORAH Brown's holiday home in the tranquil atmosphere of Fraser Island has put her through hell for the past five years as she fought for certification.

Between hosting tourists and managing her Kingfisher Bay home, Ms Brown has been fighting the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) to have her home certified.

The kit home was purchased and built in 2010, but after it was completed, Ms Brown discovered the materials used to build the home did not meet fire rating requirements.

The builder, who is from outside the Fraser Coast, did not construct the home to the approved drawings and Ms Brown spent five years fighting to have it certified.

The incorrect fire rating could have also caused problems for Ms Brown's insurance.

"The validity of the insurance was in question because if there was something major I had to claim then they could have turned around and said it was not built to standard," she said.

After months of discussion and an appearance at the Queensland Civil Administrative Tribunal, Ms Brown finally had the issue sorted.

There are now two lots of drawings on the Fraser Coast Regional Council's records to acknowledge the original and amended drawings with an adjusted fire rating.

Ms Brown has told her story in the hope of changing the policy of the QBCC to make them fix defective works quicker.

"I had to fight tooth and nail to get things bought up to code and regulations and you shouldn't have to," she said. But QBCC acting commissioner Kellie Lowe said correct procedures were followed in an effort to help Ms Brown.

"While the QBCC acknowledges that Ms Brown may be frustrated with the length of time it has taken to resolve her matters, the QBCC denies the inference that it has delayed the process," she said.

"Some matters may be perceived as being protracted because of the number of issues under consideration and the time it takes to properly consider them.

"The involvement of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) has also influenced the time taken to resolve her complaints."