The Canberra Times has an intriguing story on an appeal from ACAT by builders after buyers of the Empire Apartments were unhappy with what they got:
The Empire Apartments body corporate had complained to the ACT Planning and Land Authority that B & T Developments and B & T Constructions, substituted rendered finishes and painted fibre cement for the polished stone and aluminium facade shown on the approved plans.
It was also claimed B & T had substituted concrete panels for glass balustrades planned for the penthouse apartment balconies.
The body corporate argued the variations had “the consequence of reducing the value and quality of the building”.
ACTPLA agreed and, on October 18, 2011, more than two years after Empire Apartments was granted a certificate of occupancy, issued a rectification order calling for the facade and balustrades to be reworked at a cost of about $500,000.
B & T appealed the ruling to ACAT which upheld the ACTPLA orders on August 6.
B&T thinks ACAT has erred in taking up consumer protection.