Lana and Boris Zaitsen face bankruptcy over battle to build Caulfield North dream home

A WHEELCHAIR-BOUND woman’s seven-year battle to build her dream home in Caulfield North is no closer to ending, and now she faces bankruptcy.

Lana Zaitsen and her husband are facing bankruptcy over their seven-year battle to build their dream home. Picture: Chris Eastman

A WHEELCHAIR-BOUND Caulfield North woman ­trying to build her dream home is facing bankruptcy, after being plunged into a building and bureaucratic nightmare.

The Leader first spoke to Lana Zaitsen and her husband Boris on August 2016, when they told of their ongoing housing saga.

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The couple began building in 2010, but seven years, three builders and countless reports later, the couple still don’t have a house to call home.

They say their dream home in Caulfield North’s Cromwell St is an unliveable house of horrors, wrecked by a string of mistakes and unfinished work.

“I don’t even have the money to demolish it,” Mrs Zaitsen said.

“We’ve lost everything we have.”

The 56-year-old, whose liver is failing and is now bedridden, said their lives were in limbo.

Still renting in Carnegie, Mrs Zaitsen said the initial $1.2 million two-storey duplex had cost more than $5 million.

The property sits half-finished. Picture: Chris Eastman

Audit reports seen by the Leader found serious defects, particularly with the basement retaining walls.

Spokesman for the Victorian Building Association, Craig Little, said it was a complex matter, involving investigations into nine practitioners including building surveyors, engineers, a draftsman, and inspector and three different builders.

“Most of these investigations have been completed, and have resulted in disciplinary actions for some of the practitioners,” Mr Little said.

“Two practitioners remain under investigation by the VBA.

“There are also civil proceedings on foot between various parties and therefore the VBA can offer no further comment.”

In 2012 Mrs Zaitsen spent more than a month protesting outside then-planning minister Matthew Guy’s office, but without success.

Flashback to 21012, when Lana Zaitsen and her husband Boris were protesting outside Matthew Guy’s electorate office.

Current planning minister Richard Wynne’s spokesman Patrick Lane said the minister was aware of Mrs Zaitsen’s situation and had been in contact with her.

“Mrs Zaitsen is also in constant contact with the Victorian Building Authority and has an officer assigned to her case, who keeps her regularly informed of any developments.”

“There are currently several ongoing investigations between Mrs Zaitsen and various practitioners.”