Sunbuilt Constructions send letter to Marine Quarter residents Eino and Kirsi Kiiskinen addressing on-site behaviour
A construction company has threatened to stop work on a Gold Coast apartment in a trouble-plagued building after sending a shock letter to the owners which they claim is incorrect.
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A construction company has threatened to stop work on a Gold Coast apartment in a trouble-plagued building after sending a shock letter to the owners which they claim is incorrect.
Southport’s Marine Quarter residents Eino and Kirsi Kiiskinen received the letter from SunBuilt Constructions on February 21, which they say made incorrect claims Mr Kiiskinen behaved poorly towards workers.
The builders were engaged by developer BuildCap after the former Gold Coast builder, GCB Constructions, collapsed owing more than $50m early last year.
SunBuilt are contracted to manage the construction works of stage two of Marine Quarter and assist with fixing defects which occurred during stage one.
The letter outlined the bad conduct allegedly displayed by Mr Kiiskinen.
“SunBuilt operates with a strict zero-tolerance policy for behaviour that negatively affects our employees, trade contractors, or fellow residents,” the letter said.
“We have been made aware of your recent interactions with painters, their on-site team, and several other on-site trades, which were deemed inappropriate.”
Mr Kiiskinen said the letter incorrectly claimed he was dressed “inappropriately with very little clothing” when female workers were onsite.
He disputes the allegation and said he “sat on the balcony the whole time with shorts on and did not bother them during their work”.
Sunbuilt added that: “these complaints are centred around intimidating behaviours, including the use of offensive language, and the resident not being suitably dressed during the attendance of female trades“.
In the letter addressed to the couple, it said that no further defect rectification work would be carried out until the following actions were taken.
“Apology letter: You are required to provide a formal letter of apology to the painters and their on-site employees,” it said.
“Misrepresentation of company name: You are also required to provide an undertaking to cease referring to SunBuilt as ‘Funbuilt” in any future communications.
“Undertaking: You must provide an undertaking confirming that such behaviour will not occur again.”
Mr Kiiskinen said he was shocked when they received the letter, the same day painters were supposed to be coming back to the apartment.
He said when they moved into their apartment in December last year, they had filed for at least 30 defects inside their home which they claim were left by the builders during stage one.
SunBuilt constructions were not involved in the building of stage one.
“Balcony handrails were loose, one of the balcony’s sliding doors did not lock, floor planks are different colours, toilet bowl blocks the ensuite’s door from opening fully, floor, windows are leaking and wind is howling through the edges,” he said.
“We have ended up doing some of the smaller things ourselves due to the lack of communication and non-responsiveness from the builder’s side all the way from the beginning,” he said.
SunBuilt said they were still considering the matter.
“SunBuilt will continue to engage directly with the resident of the apartment regarding the complaint, and the completion of the remaining rectification works.”
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