![]() Outraged resident Fabiano dos Santos said temporary accommodation was the least the insurer could do for the tenants.Īnother apartment owner has suggested the building be sold for its land value, in a bid to put the whole issue to bed. The $9,000 payout allocated to residents for temporary accommodation has since been frozen, as the building's insurer assesses if a third party is to be blame for the fiasco. ![]() Many residents have demanded answers as to why they have not been paid out according to temporary accommodation clause included in the building's insurance. 'We can't give an exact date on when the cause will be identified, but we can advise that the engineers are going to need another week at the minimum to provide findings that have more substance,' he said.Ī second firm of engineers has been appointed to review current assessments.Īs tenants and apartment owners wait to receive the green light to move in, they have been forced to stay at hotels or sleep on the couches at their friend's place. Mascot Towers media liaison Patrick McGuire said engineers had found enough evidence to confirm that movement and cracking in the building had continued in some parts. Namely, the 'underdesign' of a transfer beam which is supposed to transfer the weight of the building onto vertical pillars may have been compromised.Ĭonstruction and excavation work from nearby was also floated as cause for concern.Įngineers are cautiously optimistic that residents in the 'red zone' of the apartment complex - a previously non-accessible area - will be able to recover some belongings by late next week The exact cause of the instability has yet to be confirmed, though an emergency meeting last Saturday suggested multiple factors could have contributed to the disaster. The meeting heard some landlords had already told their tenants they no longer needed to pay rent, and had refunded their bonds.Īn engineers' summary released on the night said that while there are some signs the complex is 'stabilising'. One woman was concerned about her goldfish that had been left alone in the building for a week. Mascot Towers building media liaison Patrick McGuire said that one of the biggest concerns among residents was retrieving furniture from their apartments.Įngineers are cautiously optimistic that residents in the 'red zone' of the apartment complex - a previously non-accessible area - will be able to recover some belongings by late next week.Ĭurrent NSW law offers owners a six year warranty period after the completion of the development for building defects deemed out of their handsĪt another Mascot hotel tenants of the building met to discuss their own raft of concerns, of which extending the 30 minute window was a hot topic. 'It's so important to get a building back up to speed,' he said. ![]() Mr Higgins said he would encourage owners to pay what it takes to fix the building rather than have it sitting empty while lawsuits drag out. 'I've got a few residents here that can hang on a month, I've got others here that say they can't afford another week,' he said. MyPlace estate agent John Higgins represents 12 owners in the building, including some who flew from overseas to attend Thursday's meeting. 'I guess we came looking for some answers and I guess there's not too many at this stage,' one resident said following the meeting. The hour dragged on until midnight as sleepy and tired residents were told it could be as long as a month before they were allowed to reoccupy the Mascot Towers. Yelling was heard coming from the meeting room as confused residents of Mascot Towers listened to engineers and lawyers tell them it would be some time before they were allowed back into their homes. The revelation has prompted calls for better consumer protection over fears homeowners would be unable to sell their apartments because of the known risks. ![]() Mr Goddard claimed 80 per cent of new apartment buildings had some structural defects, which would only show after the six-year period. Stephen Goddard, spokesman for the Owners Corporation Network, told the ABC the owners of apartments within Mascot Towers fell out of this warranty period almost four years ago. NSW law offers owners a six year warranty period after the completion of the development for building defects deemed out of their hands. Residents first uncovered they might have to pay for the repairs after they learned the warranty on their building had expired. 'We do feel nervous, but we don't have any other options.' We just want to see everyone back in the building.' Cracks (pictured) on the 131 unit apartment building caused a mass evacuation on Friday night
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |