Browse Forums Building Standards; Getting It Right! 1 Sep 19, 2014 3:21 pm Does anyone agree with me that Victorian Building Warranty Insurance should be overhauled? In 2002 the then Bracks Government had the misfortune to have one of just 2(?) of its building warranty insurers go under HIH under the mantle of FAI, which meant there was no longer any competition. Action was taken rapidly and the results were that: 1 All defects other than structural defects were insured for only 2 years instead of 6.5 years 2 Structural defects were covered for 6 years instead of 6.5 years 3 Insurers could not be involved until home owners had made every effort to resolve the issues with the builder... virtually to bankruptcy o f builder if need be. Well does anyone see an enormous reduction in responsibility here (compared with the previous insurance up to 2002? Or is it just me? Did anyone see these changes headlined in the papers at that time as hugely against home owners expectations? I saw nothing. And did the policies reduce to below half, following this (at least) halving of responsibility of insurers? I think not. Start protesting home owners and write to your local member if you have the energy. It might be very interesting if the Insurance ombudsman had a very close (Royal Commission type) look at this situation that I say has halved home owners rights. And that is without the pursuing the builder part. My opinion is that the rights of home owners have been quartered is closer to the mark... and therefore insurance premiums should be quartered correspondingly. Or they could resurrect the rights of home owners to what they were pre- the 2002 changes. Subsequent governments have done nothing either. Thanks for nothing Government(s) Leonardo_23 So how about all home owners getting together t redress this situation Re: Building Warranty Insurance pathetic? 2Sep 19, 2014 4:09 pm I'll start this one off too. Sorry there a few typos here, but it might be very interesting if members compare insurance premiums from just prior to 2002 and just after to see just what the insurance companies actually did. I'll bet that policy premiums rose. And by the way there was one thing better for home owners... the amount of maximum claim was doubled from $100 000 to $200 000. Forgot to say that in the start-up. Imagine having that number of defects. Well some houses that I call lemons do have more than this amount. It really does help owners with a walk-away builder or a lemon house. Leonardo_23 Re: Building Warranty Insurance pathetic? 3Oct 08, 2014 12:51 am No re[plies. Perhaps I can simplify the question. Are there any members who have what it cost for their 2002 house warranty insurance and any with what it cost say in 2004. I suppose we will need to know what the value of the house was for each insurance premium. Should be interesting because the insurance actually covered far less after July 2002 Cheers Leonardo_23 Re: Building Warranty Insurance pathetic? 4Oct 08, 2014 12:30 pm There is no replies because its an old, often discussed topic. Everyone agrees the system is pathetic. There just isnt enough lobbying done to change things - those industry workers profiting from the failures by taking advantage of the situation are happy to let sleeping dogs lie it seems. End of story. Re: Building Warranty Insurance pathetic? 5Oct 08, 2014 1:36 pm You're probably right quebtel, But maybe it can be brought into the 'We Only Want What We Paid For' public forum that just started last night... certainly hope so with the number of defects out there, Cheers, Leonardo_23 Re: Building Warranty Insurance pathetic? 6Oct 10, 2014 8:48 pm Leonardo_23, This is yet another thread topic you have started that already exists. viewtopic.php?f=1&t=70183&p=1151063#p1151063 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Building Warranty Insurance pathetic? 7Oct 11, 2014 1:38 pm You are so right saveH20, Being new to the forum, it's difficult to see what is up and going when nobody has posted in the last few weeks, because it is on page 5 or something. It seems to be a difficulty of large sites. Anyway, I hope to raise a few more points before I let this one slip into oblivion, even if just for the sake of those who know of its existence. But that thread you cited is a good one... and I may add to that one soon... and there were some before that no doubt. Maybe the bosses can make this all in one as a main topic?... but might be too difficult. Thanks for the input. Cheers, Leonardo_23 Re: Building Warranty Insurance pathetic? 8Oct 11, 2014 1:45 pm Hi everyone including management, Following several longer serving members comments about previous threads still running on similar or very similar lines, is it desirable or even possible to get the 'Building Standards, Getting it Right' enlarged as a heading to contain sub-headings such as General - specifications, insurance, site preparation, contracts... and so on... or would that just be too disruptive and difficult and take away from its appeal? Just a thought, cheers. Anyway if one has the time the different threads are all very interesting in their own way Leonardo_23 Re: Building Warranty Insurance pathetic? 9Oct 11, 2014 1:55 pm Hi saveH20 and quebtel, Do you think let this one slip and add my opening statement to the other site, because I think it adds something to the general topic of insurance? Also I must look at previous threads somehow in much more detail so as not to duplicate too much. I just thought that it was so important that it should somehow be at the front more... but for some unknown reason Ozzies seem to think that the authorities will make changes for the good of home owners happen. Well we all know that not to be true. Just look at the Napthine consumer fund recently proposed for home owners... without the basic changes that are needed. And even this Band-Aid proposal did not get anywhere because of the overpowering lobby from the HIA amongst others, Leonardo_23 Re: Building Warranty Insurance pathetic? 10Oct 11, 2014 3:52 pm Hi Leonardo_23, I noticed that others had already commented on some other new threads that they were also duplicates. It is certainly best that everything is kept to the one thread, particularly on important subject matters. The thread that I linked didn't have a lot of visitors but this has more to do with apathy than the thread's importance. The builders warranty insurance scam is massive in Victoria and it is hard to understand how it can even be legal. I have linked a 15 June 2011 news article from The Age and things haven't changed since then. http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/victo ... 1g21e.html 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Building Warranty Insurance pathetic? 11Oct 13, 2014 12:25 am Fair enough saveH20, I thought I already explained that I was new to this. Also you yourself resurrected the insurance topic from a previous thread Guide to Standards and Tolerances I see; and it also died on April 30. Apathy indeed reigns. So it seems you are right that insurance is not going to be discussed any longer. The Napthine government killed off its may 2013 Domestic Building Consumer Protection Reforms proposal in June this year due to HIA pressure I believe. And it seems that it would have cut down consumer rights far more at the same time (after over reading 90 pages of Treasury and Finance material. So I will leave it be I guess. Leonardo_23 Re: Building Warranty Insurance pathetic? 12Oct 13, 2014 2:46 am Leonardo_23 The Napthine government killed off its may 2013 Domestic Building Consumer Protection Reforms proposal in June this year due to HIA pressure I believe. HIA pressure? Apparently so. Their annual insurance premiums windfall make any such lobbying one of vested interest wouldn't you think? It sounded promising, see link below. http://www.tresscox.com.au/File/File/Ne ... 202014.pdf The Napthine Govt has had many press releases stating that they recognise the need for building industry reform but with an election looming, a waiting game ensures. The following link may interest you as it lists all Victorian Government press releases in chronological order or you can refer to individual ministers press releases. http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/media-cen ... eases.html VBA press release can be found at http://www.vba.vic.gov.au/media/media-releases The one further below is interesting in view of: http://www.theage.com.au/national/build ... 2dyw1.html http://www.vba.vic.gov.au/__data/assets ... uditor.pdf 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Building Warranty Insurance pathetic? 13Oct 13, 2014 10:15 pm Hi saveH20, I thought I posted on this thread last night but obviously pressed the wrong button again, so apparently not. Thanks for all those sites, but I have to agree that apathy seems to be winning, so perhaps this will be the last entry on this thread., cheers Leonardo_23 Re: Building Warranty Insurance pathetic? 14Oct 14, 2014 8:09 am SaveH2O Leonardo_23 The Napthine government killed off its may 2013 Domestic Building Consumer Protection Reforms proposal in June this year due to HIA pressure I believe. HIA pressure? Apparently so. Their annual insurance premiums windfall make any such lobbying one of vested interest wouldn't you think? It sounded promising, see link below. http://www.tresscox.com.au/File/File/Ne ... 202014.pdf The Napthine Govt has had many press releases stating that they recognise the need for building industry reform but with an election looming, a waiting game ensures. The following link may interest you as it lists all Victorian Government press releases in chronological order or you can refer to individual ministers press releases. http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/media-cen ... eases.html VBA press release can be found at http://www.vba.vic.gov.au/media/media-releases The one further below is interesting in view of: http://www.theage.com.au/national/build ... 2dyw1.html http://www.vba.vic.gov.au/__data/assets ... uditor.pdf The last press release in the list deserves a thread of its own!!! VBA terminates contract with plumbing auditor The decisive action comes after the industry regulator identified serious irregularities in Casey Inspection Service’s paperwork. This follows two formal unrelated breaches of the contract. I wonder what really ****** behind all of this. Re: Building Warranty Insurance pathetic? 15Oct 14, 2014 12:10 pm Casey Inspection Services are contracted for plumbing services. Just another layer that adds to administrative costs. Having said that, I found the people that I dealt with to be good. “Given the seriousness of the allegations of falsifying documents, the VBA took action to ensure that the matter was swiftly and decisively addressed,” Ms Digby said. The VBA has referred the matter to the relevant authorities. Relevant authorities? I wonder who they are? 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Building Warranty Insurance pathetic? 17Oct 31, 2014 2:28 pm Hi Liliana and SaveH2O, Relevant authorities indeed! I was shocked at the increase in VCAT authority in the recent proposed changes to warranty insurance and general overhaul of the industry. I looked at several of the VBA press releases and also at the other sites you mentioned SaveH2O, and I have to say I was not impressed generally with how these snibbits of advice and press releases seemed to leave new homes out of the equation generally, state that Building surveyors, building inspectors & architects are equipped to carry out pre-purchase inspections when in my experience most (yes most) are not well equipped at all, particularly for new home inspections. Overall I have to say that I am MOST UNIMPRESSED with the authorities who state such blanket statements. You might like to look at the past Building Commission Document relating to Balconies and Balustrades. That document states that it is the responsibility of owners to regularly inspect their balconies for faults, but LAYS NO BLAME on those who specified or those who allowed the specifiers to specifiy or those who installed non-durable products in balustrades and balconies used outside in the weather, when blame is critical to people's rights. It also allows past perpetrators to re-offend. Perhaps this should be posted on a rant site. There is one and it's a very good idea I think, Cheers Leonardo_23 Hi Suku18 In NSW the statutory required insurances are: 1. HBCF ( Home Building Compensation Fund) - This is if the builder dies or goes broke. But this only covers 20%… 1 1279 Hi there, long-time lurker but first time posting. I've bought a house 2 and a bit years ago and last year we had some major water damage on a converted pergola area… 0 5788 I apologise for any confusion, but your understanding is correct. We approached our situation differently based on advice from… 11 37572 |