Homeowners claim they are losing money after false cladding ruling

Frustrated owners in a Brunswick block say they’re living in limbo, with tests revealing their building has combustible cladding, but authorities stating it’s not bad enough to be replaced.

A fire this year at Neo200 Docklands was fuelled by flammable aluminium cladding.

Apartment owners in a Brunswick complex have been told to tell prospective buyers it has combustible cladding, despite testing proving it is not flammable.

But both Moreland Council and the Victorian Building Authority are refusing to take responsibility over the issue.

The owners’ corporation in the Sydney Rd building received a letter from the VBA’s cladding taskforce in March that stated an expert panel had declared the cladding combustible, but not dangerous enough to warrant immediate action.

The letter said that potential purchasers should be made aware of the decision.

The Leader has seen a certificate of conformity and testing results provided to the owners corporation by builders clearing the aluminium cladding.

A visual assessment was made on the building by the council, with results then overseen by an expert panel appointed by the VBA, according to the council’s acting director of city futures Phillip Priest.

“These audits were undertaken in accordance with the assessment tool provided by the (VBA),” he said.

“This assessment tool required an initial visual assessment of the building only.”

London’s Grenfell Tower disaster killed 72 people and dangerous cladding was blamed.

Tony Weir lives in the building and said the owners’ corporation had written to the VBA to ask for proper testing several times since March but was yet to hear back.

“The process is assuming the worst without checking available evidence,” he said.

“(The process is) heavily penalising owners and stressing out people who live in these buildings.

“While we wait for them to get their act together, people can’t sell their apartments and are losing money.”

VBA spokeswoman Karen Lyon said the building was in the council’s hands.

It wasn’t deemed dangerous enough by the panel for the VBA to take control.

But the council passed the blame back and said the VBA was now the building surveyor in charge.

“Having assisted with the audit and panel process, council no longer has any role in the resolution of the cladding,” Mr Priest said.

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Tony Weir lives in the building and said the owners’ corporation had written to the VBA to ask for proper testing several times since March but was yet to hear back.

“The process is assuming the worst without checking available evidence,” he said.

“(The process is) heavily penalising owners and stressing out people who live in these buildings.

“While we wait for them to get their act together, people can’t sell their apartments and are losing money.”