Homeowner’s red tape ‘nightmare’ following substandard building job next door

There are fresh calls for an inquiry into the state’s building sector after revelations substandard work on one property has created multiple defects in a neighbouring house.

A “shonky” house construction has resulted in one woman’s house filling with cracks and slowly sinking into the ground.

Bev Bilac owns a house on Deak St, Gagebrook, that is suffering ongoing damage due to structural flaws in the social housing unit directly behind them.

She has been forced to navigate a bureaucratic maze of red tape for more than a year, but is still no closer to a solution.

An engineer’s report found the neighbouring property had been built onto a steep embankment with inadequate supporting structures, leading to the soil crumbling.

The engineers said the building had directly affected Ms Bilac’s house, resulting in widening gaps in the concrete and bricks over the past few months.

Ms Bilac’s insurance company told her they were unable to fix her house until the underlying problems in the neighbouring house were resolved.

Ms Bilac said she has attempted to get in contact with the builder, but has spent the past 15 months being referred back and forth between various government departments.

“I’ve been in tears a few times … it’s a bit of a nightmare actually – 15 months and nobody wants to talk to me,” Ms Bilac said.

“We need to have somebody we can actually speak to face-to-face. Not these call centres who direct you here and there and ask you to leave your contact details.”

Bev Bilac’s house is developing cracks because of substandard work on a neighbouring property. Picture: Kenji Sato

Labor’s building and construction spokeswoman Jen Butler said she frequently heard similar complaints of dodgy builders from exasperated homeowners in her electorate.

Ms Butler said there was a shocking lack of government oversight in the construction sector and that it needed to be subjected to a parliamentary inquiry.

“The story we’ve heard from Bev today is just another example of how prolific shonky building is here in Tasmania,” Ms Butler said.

“There’s very little consumer protection, there’s very little regulatory support, there’s problems with supply, there’s problems with standards.

“A parliamentary inquiry would look at the gaps, assess where those gaps are, come up with recommendations, implement those recommendations and provide a much more robust building and construction sector.”

Health Minister Sarah Courtney hit back at Ms Butler’s comments, saying the Liberals were strengthening the building sector while Labor was undermining it.

“It was the Labor Party that abolished building warranty insurance. It is the Liberal Party that is looking at what we can do to rectify this situation,” Ms Courtney said.

“I think it’s really disappointing that Jen Butler and the Labor Party continue to politicise this while we’re taking steps to take action.”