Treachery the Other-side of Shared Walls: A Neighbour's Fateful Effect on Our Peaceful Shelter

Treachery Behind of Shared Partition: A Builders Disastrous Impact on Our Peaceful Refuge


In the heart of Alexandria, Melbourne we had renovated our loving sanctuary of 30 years, a concealed garden in the centre of the noise of the city. For greater than 20 years, it was a beautiful place of solace, a oasis of beauty and safety.

As an esteemed architect creator, my friend had donated to our city of Sydney with many urban creative proposals, but of these none were more personal and loved that the progressive design of the Lawrence Street, Alexandria, Victorian style conversion. Featured in the Sydney Morning Herald, it was applauded as a creative masterpiece, weaving old-world appeal with modern-day elegance.

The Victorian conversion was a creed to architectural ingenuity—a three-story build and conversion to a Victorian style terrace, providing a home for a family and a studio. The premier feature was the light tower, soaring above the main structure with suspended stairs, acquiring the core of the southeastern and northwestern sky. French sash windows dressed the main bedroom, while timber casement windows embellish in the bathroom frame the views and filter the light.

However, this pleasant lifestyle was destroyed when our neighbour, a builder, moved in next door. Initially welcomed with open arms, his actions soon turned our lives upside down threatening the safety of everyone in the area. Without due diligence, he began demolishing a major supporting wall on our property, the main load-bearing wall of our master bedroom. At one point he had setup a hose from his roof diverting water into our office, causing several thousand dollars damage to our property and undermining its structural integrity.

To compound matters, we through investigation found that the intermediate wall lacked the required fire rating, a major omission that endangered our safety. Despite our urgent attempts to seek resolution the problem with the neighbour's and contacting the council, the council said the builder's inspector had already signed off on the project, providing no recourse and leaving us vulnerable to fire.

In spite of getting a legal judgement in their favour and recompense for the damages incurred, the toll was abysmal and created many unpleasant memories. They were forced to sell their beloved home, we mourned the loss of our garden refuge, another victim of proper government oversight and dicey construction practices. The lack of proper oversight and governance by local government allowed this tragedy to unfold, highlighting the necessity for more responsibilities and protection for homeowners.

As we grapple with the consequence of this experience, we are left to consider: What recourse do owners have when their greatest financial investment are made vulnerable by the carelessness of dodgy construction companies?

Where to Begin - Voting the Best and Incompetent Building Companies in Commonwealth of Australia..?

The Failed, Defendant, and the ending of Property CorporationToplace's Billion-Dollar Empire

from Sept 2023

A Fugitive consultant was extensively involved with getting his insolvent business a very moneymaking construction contract — oversight of the collapse of Accused Jean Nassif's business empire, which sunk under financial obligations surpassing $1.24 billion, including $88.5 million due to suppliers and sub-contractors.

Brand New revelations about the failure of Nassif's Toplace group of compaines have emerged in documented evidence shown to the Federal Court this week by bankruptcy administrators from dVT Group. These documents show that secured creditors, such as banks with mortgages on Toplace properties and offshore lenders in tax havens like the British Virgin Islands, are owed one thousand million.


Additional Relevant Info:

Riad Tayeh, Jean Nassif, and Toplace's Skyview development in Castle Hill.

Creditors without Security, have filed claims with a total estimated $244 million.
Federal Court claims also tell that Riad Tayeh, company founder of dVT Group, which played a key role in guaranteeing his firm's assignment as bankruptcy managers. In spite of being proclaimed bankrupt in May last year with several million in debt, Tayeh, now a business consultant, and colleague Antony Resnick attended important business meetings with Toplace executives in the days before the companies appointment as bankruptcy administrators.
Included in those attending the meetings on July 2019 was Jean Nassif's 29-year-old daughter, Ashlyn, whose legal practicing certificate has been suspended while she fights charges related to a $150 million fraud bound to Toplace's Skyview building development in Castle Hill.

Riad Tayeh was charged financially bankrupt in May 2022.

Just days before these meetings, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Jean Nassif, 55, who fled Sydney for Dubai in October 2022. Jean and Ashlyn Nassif are accused of fraud to secure a $150 million loan from Westpac.

In August, Resnick and fellow dVT partner Suelen McCallum were made voluntary bankruptcy managers for Toplace, following a resolution passed by Jean Nassif, its sole director The administrators now face the task of handling one of NSW's largest corporate bankruptcy's.

Resnick filed an affidavit in the Federal Court indicating that while Toplace's assets are valued at approximately $1.47 billion, its debts are nearly the same amount. Despite this, several owners' corporations have filed claims amounting to nearly $124 million to address serious defects in Toplace's buildings.

Further complicating the administrators' task is the web of intercompany loans among Nassif's entities, which amount to $319 million. adding that Toplace's financial books had not been properly updated since 2021.



Resolution Reached for Mascot Towers, Owners to Finally Escape Longstanding Struggles...

After five years of enduring legal battles and financial burdens, relief may be in sight for the long-suffering apartment owners of Mascot Towers in Sydney. A landmark deal brokered by the New South Wales government offers a pathway for owners to sell their properties individually, potentially freeing them from debt and uncertainty. The majority of owners have opted to accept the government's proposal, which involves selling to a third-party commercial consortium rather than pursuing a collective sale.
As part of the agreement, owners will receive a portion of the $30 million building price, along with means-tested support from the state government. Additionally, banks have agreed to reduce loan balances by up to 40% for owner-occupiers, enabling them to move out without financial encumbrances.

However, this debt-relief option is exclusively available to those who resided in the property prior to its evacuation in 2019 due to structural defects. Eligible owner-occupiers, along with select investors, may qualify for government assistance of up to $120,000, depending on their income and assets. While the deal offers a fresh start for many, it comes with the realization that property values have significantly depreciated since the original purchase. Despite this drawback, the Minister for Fair Trading, Anoulack Chanthivong, views the agreement as a crucial step towards closure for affected owners, describing it as the end of a "dark chapter" in the state's building history.

The next phase involves determining the extent of government support for owners and ensuring that lenders fulfill their commitments. The journey towards resolution began in 2019 when residents were evacuated due to structural concerns, prompting a prolonged battle for justice and financial relief. Throughout this ordeal, owners faced the burden of ongoing levies, mortgages, and remediation costs, exacerbating their plight. The evacuation prompted a grassroots campaign urging regulatory reforms and developer accountability, culminating in the current agreement.

To date, the NSW government has allocated $21 million in support to affected owners, underscoring its commitment to addressing the repercussions of defective building practices. As the community looks ahead to a new chapter, the resolution of Mascot Towers stands as a testament to perseverance and collective action in the face of adversity.


Paul Meek,