Leader of The Nationals WA Shane Love MLA has called on the Cook Labor Government to step in and support families left stranded by shoddy and incomplete work on NicheLiving homes.
Mr Love said the stories emerging from former NicheLiving customers were “staggering and heartbreaking.”
“One of the most shocking cases is Kathy Ellis, who was so excited just months ago to finally move into her new home after years living in a caravan waiting for NicheLiving to fulfil their promise of building her a home,” Mr Love said.
“Only after a new builder completed the build and she moved in did she discover the original plumbers had used telecommunications piping instead of proper PVC, and her ensuite shower wasn’t even connected.
“She’s now left facing a $62,000 bill for repairs to her plumbing, and around $100,000 in damages overall.
“Kathy is once again homeless because of the sheer incompetence of NicheLiving, and worse, she has very little resource because of the indemnity deal signed off by the Cook
Labor Government which shields NicheLiving and its directors from further penalties.
“And the limited Home Indemnity Insurance she has access to simply doesn’t cover the scale of the damage.”
Mr Love said it was clear families were being left with crippling costs and little support.
“This isn’t just a NicheLiving failure, it’s a failure of Government oversight,” Mr Love said.
“The Cook Labor Government signed off on this deal and they must take responsibility.
They should sit down with affected families and resolve these issues case by case.
“The extra cost to Government may be in the millions, but that’s the price of doing the right thing after years of turning a blind eye to the problems being caused by NicheLiving and being raised by customers, the media, and The Nationals WA.
“Families should not be left to chase the Building Commissioner or the State Administrative Tribunal when the Government could act now.
“The Cook Labor Government needs to stop dragging its feet, stop hiding behind legal agreements, and do the right thing for WA families who have already suffered enough.”
Mr Love also thanked the ABC and other media outlets for continuing to shine a light on the plight of affected families.
“Without the persistence of the ABC and other outlets, many of these cases may have gone unheard,” he said.