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Dodgy tradies on notice, a Major Overhaul on the Horizon for Western Australia’s Building Laws, and as population skyrockets, is Perth’s Affordability Status Under Siege?
Welcome back to Property Buzz! I’m Grace Ormsby Today is Thursday, 21 December – and a strong West Australian theme is on show in today’s update, with the reveal that a concrete company and its directors have been convicted for not complying with a building remedy order in the state.
– The company had been contracted to install a concrete driveway at a property, which they did, but soon after the homeowners lodged a complaint due to cracking and inadequate thickness of the concrete.
– After failing to rectify the issue, the homeowners hired another company to replace the driveway and the original remedy order was changed to a payment order for the additional costs.
– The company was fined $10,000, and the case is being used to highlight the importance of upholding responsibilities in the building industry.
– which is clearly on the government’s radar, given The West Australian government has now announced major reforms to building and construction laws, based on 39 recommendations from the national Building Confidence Report.
– The reforms include mandatory inspections of new apartment and commercial buildings, improved enforcement powers for the Building Commissioner, tiered registration for builders, and enhanced building design documentation.
– The Building Commissioner will have increased authority to issue directions, enter construction sites, notify permit authorities of non-compliant work, and issue penalties, alonngside increased fines,.Â
– The first stage of reforms is planned for 2026, focusing on mandatory inspections of high-rise apartment buildings and will follow extensive community consultation.
Staying the course over west today, and the state’s real estate body, REIWA, has revealed that strong population growth is putting pressure on Western Australia’s housing market, with more than 70,000 people moving to the state in the year to June 2023.
– The state is only building about 14,000 new homes per year, leading to a significant shortfall in supply versus demand, with a predicted shortfall of more than 25,000 new properties in the coming years.
– The high migration rate is causing property and rent prices to rise, with house prices up nearly 10 per cent over the year, while median rents are up by 20 per cent. Â
– CEO Cath Hart is calling for a consistent pipeline of new housing to come into play.
That’s Property Buzz for today.
See you again tomorrow, 22 December, for your daily dose of Property Buzz.
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