The 2024/25 Federal Budget has announced $6.2 billion of new initiatives in the budget to respond to Australia’s housing shortage.

From 9 November 2023, major amendments apply to the unfair contract term (UCT) regime. The UCT regime applies to standard form contracts entered with consumers and small businesses, and attracts significant penalties.

On 24 August 2023, the County Court of Victoria handed down its decision in Owners Corporation I Plan No PS 707553K and Ors v Shangri-La Construction Pty Ltd (ACN 130 534 244) and Anor [2023] VCC 1473.

Following the well documented spike in mid and post-pandemic costs, driven largely by inflation and global supply shortages, many industries have seen the cost of doing business increase significantly. For many of these industries, in order to remain viable, these additional costs have been (at least in part) handed on to the consumer. Unfortunately for those in the domestic building industry in Victoria, this option is not always available.

Purchasing or building a new home is often said to be the largest financial commitment an individual or a couple will make in their lifetime. People will take on substantial mortgages in order to build their dream homes or investment properties. Therefore, it is extremely important that you ensure the legal goalposts are set from the beginning and understood by all parties, before signing on the dotted line.

In a competitive rental market, opportunity exists for residential landlords (‘rental providers’) to maximise their investment by way of rental return or by selling their rental property to realise its capital growth.

The National Construction Code 2022 (NCC 2022) is undergoing some significant changes by introducing new requirements that will alter the construction of most houses and apartments. This will likely result in additional costs to home owners.

The Building Amendment (Swimming Pool and Spa) Regulations 2019 (“the Regulation”) commenced on 1 December 2019 and added mandatory requirements for landowners who have a swimming pool or spa.

In Owners Corporation 1 Plan No PS543073S & ors v Eastrise Constructions Pty Ltd [2019] VCAT 1639 (Eastrise), the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has handed down an important decision in the context of expiring actions against builders pursuant to the Building Act 1995 (Vic) (Building Act).

In October, the High Court handed down its judgment in the case of Peter Mann & Anor v Paterson Constructions Pty Ltd [2019] HCA 32 (Paterson), clarifying principles and providing constraints in respect of a claim on the basis of quantum meruit.

Building construction is a time-consuming and costly process that can be difficult to manage for all parties.  Very often, changes to the scope of the works being undertaken are requested or necessitated by circumstance, resulting in each party’s rights being uncertain at best when those variations are not properly documented in accordance with the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 (Vic) (Act).

Two Fair Work Commission in the last five weeks warn of the serious consequences of signing a false statutory declaration when applying for approval of an enterprise agreement.  

Employers in the building and construction industry will be well aware of the Code for the Tendering and Performance of Building Work 2016 (the 2016 Building Code) which commenced on 2 December 2016.

A small construction company has been ordered to pay penalties totalling $20,000 as a result of it sending text messages to workers, unlawfully stating they must be union members before commencing work on a construction site.

Each year the Fair Work Commission reviews minimum award pay rates for each classification in an award.  The new rates apply from 1 July 2016.

A quick guide to owners corporations
If you are an apartment or unit owner it is likely you are part of an owners corporation. As a member there are certain procedures that must be followed which you may not even be aware of.  It is important that owners corporation members and committee members understand these procedures, their rights and responsibilities.  

On 29 April 2015, the Victorian Supreme Court handed down its judgment in Burbank Australia Pty Ltd v Owners Corporation PS 447493 [2015] VSC 160, which concerned an appeal from a decision of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, in relation to allegations of defective building works in the common property of the ‘Waterford Towers’ apartment building built by Burbank in the Melbourne suburb of Maribyrnong.

In tough economic times, maintaining cash flow to your business can become more difficult. The Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2002 can assist suppliers, contractors and subcontractors in the building industry to get paid more quickly and avoid expensive disputes.

A new section 45 under the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 enables a party to a domestic building contract to refer a dispute to the Victorian Building Authority.

A new section 45 under the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 enables a party to a domestic building contract to refer a dispute to the Victorian Building Authority.