The Opposition has demanded an urgent update from the State Government on the status of hundreds of unfinished homes by Niche Living, following revelations that the company no longer has a nominated building supervisor.
Opposition Leader Shane Love accused the Commerce Minister of inaction and questioned what steps had been taken since the Opposition raised alarms over a month ago.
“The Opposition has been calling for action from this Government week in and week out around Niche Living, on behalf of the hundreds of WA families who are trapped in limbo, waiting for their homes to be completed,” Mr Love said.
“The revelation from ABC Mornings has made it clear that Niche Living will struggle to complete over 200 unfinished homes, given they are legally unable to undertake any construction work in the absence of a nominated supervisor.”
WA law requires a nominated building supervisor for any construction work needing a building permit or valued at over $20,000.
Mr Love said it would be challenging for Niche Living to recruit for the role amid public scrutiny around the company.
“Finding a qualified supervisor, when there is high demand around Australia, is already difficult, and their inability to pay trades or complete homes on time will only add to that challenge.”
Mr Love said there were further revelations this week, with customers writing to Building and Energy seeking assurances about whether the builder holds insurance.
“The most recent insurance documents sighted by customers expired in April 2022, and despite requests for current documentation, none have been provided.
“Further, the Minister for Commerce has yet to clarify whether these homes are covered by home indemnity insurance, following concerns raised by the Opposition over a month ago.
“I would expect holding appropriate insurance would be an important aspect to Niche Living retaining its building registration,” Mr Love said.
ABC Mornings also revealed that Niche’s parent company, Projex Management, had faced court action on seven occasions in recent weeks, with over $280,000 owed to various trades across Perth, on top of a multi-million-dollar bill to the Australian Tax Office.
“I understand the director of Niche Living is no longer in Australia, the company is being taken to court regularly for unpaid debts, and staff are leaving the firm,” Mr Love said.
“You don’t need a crystal ball to see where this could end up, yet the State Government irresponsibly refuse to confirm whether Niche Living is financially sound.
“The Minister for Commerce must urgently provide an update on the status of their investigations into Niche Living and what action is being taken to help WA families, who deserve clarity and reassurance that their concerns have been taken seriously.”
