‘Cracks, leaks’ uncovered at Habitat Canterbury development in building watchdog inspection

The trail of defect destruction left behind by fugitive developer Jean Nassif’s companies is continuing to stack up as yet another Sydney development comes under scrutiny from the state’s building watchdog.

The trail of defect destruction left behind by fugitive developer Jean Nassif’s companies is continuing to stack up as yet another Sydney development comes under scrutiny from the state’s building watchdog.

The 184-unit ‘Habitat’ development at 308-320 Canterbury Rd and 6-8 Canton St is the latest apartment complex linked to Jean Nassif to be hit with orders to repair defects including ‘cracks’ in sections of the building and water leaks in residential units.

It comes after eight other unit complexes built by Jean Nassif’s development arms have been issued separate rectification orders to fix defects since June 2021.

At the Habitat development, a total 15 separate defects have been identified at the multistorey site relating to inadequate waterproofing works, internal load bearing components of the development, fire safety standards, and building enclosures.

The order to fix the defects has been issued to Treacy Street Pty Ltd – founded in 2014 and operated by Jean Nassif as the company’s director.

Fair Trading has ordered the defects identified to be fixed within six months however there are major doubts whether the works will be completed by the deadline.

ASIC records show Treacy Street Pty Ltd was placed into liquidation on July 14, along with several other companies linked to Nassif including Toplace.

A photo of the development at 308-320 Canterbury Rd and 6-8 Canton St in Canterbury identified in the Fair Trading order. Photo: Google Maps

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High profile property developer Jean Nassif, pictured here in 2022.

Nassif is currently overseas and as this publication revealed this month has been sighted hiding in rural Lebanon while facing fraud allegations in Australia

The rectification order issued to Treacy St on August 18 shows defects included “uncontrolled cracking” of a basement car park levels in a section of the development.

Water was also observed to be escaping from bathrooms in six units into adjacent hallways causing wet and stained carpets.

Other defects included water entering into the building from balconies, resulting in water staining on fixed glass panels to the balcony sliding door, and water entering the building through skylights in eleven separate units.

There are exposed reinforcements throughout concrete slabs of the development which the inspection report stated had begun to “corrode”.

NSW Assistant Building Commissioner Matthew Whitton said the defects were “likely to be costly” to repair.

“However, the cost to the developer must be balanced against the benefit to the occupiers to be gained from identifying the specific building work that will eliminate the serious defects.”