Bsa1
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JULY 3 2011 Page 11 ST Close call: The house in Gimba St, Mitchelton. Red tape tangle angers Quirk Kelmeny Fraser BRISBANE’S Lord Mayor has turned on the Building Ser- vices Authority (BSA), saying the Government needed to find ways to make it a ‘‘stronger force’’. ‘‘Unfortunately at times the State Government’s Building Services Authority has been bogged down with red tape and therefore unable to get the best result,’’ Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said. The council has referred 45 cases involving private certifiers to the BSA and allocated $100,000 this year to work the body. Cr Quirk said he allocated the funds in an attempt to ‘‘stomp out this tick-and-flick attitude of dodgy operators and (to) stop bad development before it becomes a problem.’’ It comes as the council and the BSA grapple with what has been described as one of the worst failings in Queensland’s building approvals system. Residents of Gimba St, Mitchelton, first raised the alarm about a house being built in the street only 82cm from the road two years ago. But work on the house was able to continue because of a legal loophole, sparking a neighbourhood feud and legal action. A council spokesman said the matter was currently be- fore the BSA. thesundaymail.com.au 11 NEWS thesundaymail.com.au SPECIAL INVESTIGATION owners say it’s dodgy builders Floor fail: Bamboo flooring that buckles (above) has prevented the Presser family (right) from moving properly into their home. Family floored by BSA backflip David Murray DAYS after Tim and Leanne Presser had bamboo flooring laid in the final stages of rebuilding their dream North Tamborine home, the boards began to buckle. More than three years later the couple and their four children still can’t move into their house after the flooring deteriorated so badly it would pop up beneath their feet. ‘‘We got to the point where we virtually got speed humps going through the house up to 20cm high,’’ Mr Presser said. In his mind it was a rela- tively straightforward case. The boards and their installation were defective, so should have been replaced. Instead, the couple is still fighting to have their floors replaced, after the Building Services Authority first found in their favour then mysteri- ously changed its mind. So far they have spent about $30,000 on the case and the bill is still rising, but they have little choice as the repair bill is estimated to be more than $100,000. The home’s new external bamboo decking also failed. The installer blamed issues ranging from water leaks to poor ventilation, so the couple went to the BSA. ‘‘The BSA decided he was at fault and he should replace all the floors and gave him a directive to do so.’’ However, the repair work never started. ‘‘We were trying to find out when he was going to come out and actually replace it and why it was taking so long. He then told us the BSA had reversed their directive – but they hadn’t informed us. ‘‘We rang the BSA and they said they’d decided to have an expert conclave where their expert and his expert agreed he wasn’t at fault and we should find our own means of taking action.’’ The case is now before the state Civil and Administrative Tribunal. [email protected] ALL IN ALL IT'S JUST...
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Transcript of Bsa1
JULY 3 2011 Page 11ST
Close call: The house inGimba St, Mitchelton.
Red tapetangleangersQuirkKelmeny Fraser
BRISBANE’S Lord Mayor hasturned on the Building Ser-vices Authority (BSA), sayingthe Government needed tofind ways to make it a‘‘stronger force’’.
‘‘Unfortunately at times theState Government’s BuildingServices Authority has beenbogged down with red tapeand therefore unable to get thebest result,’’ Lord MayorGraham Quirk said.
The council has referred 45cases involving privatecertifiers to the BSA andallocated $100,000 this year towork the body.
Cr Quirk said he allocatedthe funds in an attempt to‘‘stomp out this tick-and-flickattitude of dodgy operatorsand (to) stop bad developmentbefore it becomes a problem.’’
It comes as the council andthe BSA grapple with what hasbeen described as one of theworst failings in Queensland’sbuilding approvals system.
Residents of Gimba St,Mitchelton, first raised thealarm about a house beingbuilt in the street only 82cmfrom the road two years ago.
But work on the house wasable to continue because of alegal loophole, sparking aneighbourhood feud and legalaction.
A council spokesman saidthe matter was currently be-fore the BSA.
thesundaymail.com.au 11NEWSthesundaymail.com.au SPECIAL INVESTIGATION
owners say it’sdodgy builders
Floor fail: Bamboo flooringthat buckles (above) hasprevented the Presser family(right) from moving properlyinto their home.
Familyflooredby BSAbackflipDavid Murray
DAYS after Tim and LeannePresser had bamboo flooringlaid in the final stages ofrebuilding their dream NorthTamborine home, the boardsbegan to buckle.
More than three years laterthe couple and their fourchildren still can’t move intotheir house after the flooringdeteriorated so badly it would
pop up beneath their feet.‘‘We got to the point wherewe virtually got speed humpsgoing through the house up to20cm high,’’ Mr Presser said.
In his mind it was a rela-tively straightforward case.The boards and theirinstallation were defective, soshould have been replaced.
Instead, the couple is stillfighting to have their floorsreplaced, after the Building
Services Authority first foundin their favour then mysteri-ously changed its mind.
So far they have spentabout $30,000 on the caseand the bill is still rising, butthey have little choice as therepair bill is estimated to bemore than $100,000.
The home’s new externalbamboo decking also failed.
The installer blamed issuesranging from water leaks to
poor ventilation, so the couplewent to the BSA.
‘‘The BSA decided he wasat fault and he should replaceall the floors and gave him adirective to do so.’’
However, the repair worknever started.
‘‘We were trying to find outwhen he was going to comeout and actually replace it andwhy it was taking so long. Hethen told us the BSA had
reversed their directive – butthey hadn’t informed us.
‘‘We rang the BSA and theysaid they’d decided to have anexpert conclave where theirexpert and his expert agreedhe wasn’t at fault and weshould find our own means oftaking action.’’ The case isnow before the state Civil andAdministrative Tribunal.
ALL IN ALL IT'S JUST...
