Were you unable to make the Strata Fire Safety Forum on February 27 in Brisbane? This forum covered what you need to know about non-complying building products, aluminium cladding, fire risk, your safety, your rights and who pays? Get answers from a panel of experts covering legal, insurance, strata, construction, finance and government. You can watch the full forum below: Panellists included: Simon Barnard – President, Strata Community Australia (QLD) Peter Berney – BDM, Solutions In Engineering Andrew Brennan – Associate … Read More

The impact of the composite aluminium cladding issue is beginning to bite as Queensland apartment owners scramble to prove their buildings are safe or face potentially crippling hikes in insurance premiums. In the lead-up to a public forum in Brisbane on February 27, at which strata industry leaders will discuss practical ways forward for apartment owners, consumers are being advised to shop around if they’re hit with a massive premium increase. The Strata Fire Safety Forum, presented by Lannock Strata … Read More

The presence of composite aluminium cladding is having a financial impact on strata owners as they renegotiate insurance policies. Speaking at the Lannock Strata Fire Safety Forum, Strata Community Insurance Managing Director Paul Keating said some insurers were beginning to change their approach to providing cover for cladding. “Most strata insurance policies are accidental damage based so without specific changes being made to the wording by the insurer, there should be no immediate impact to existing cover,” said Mr Keating. … Read More

The clock is ticking for strata owners if they are to have any hope of getting the people responsible for illegal composite aluminium cladding on their buildings to pay for the repairs. Leading strata and construction lawyer David Bannerman, who co-convened the Strata Fire Safety Forum with Lannock Strata Finance, says statutory warranties are complicated and time sensitive. “The chain of people responsible for the proliferation of non-complying material used in apartment construction is long, from the importer to the … Read More

The push to produce more interesting architecture and reduce costs led to the proliferation of composite aluminium cladding in mid – high rise buildings but it has come at a far higher cost in the long run. Peter Blair, Project Manager at construction engineering consultancy SPMA, told the Lannock Strata Fire Safety Forum that in eight out of ten instances the cladding used on buildings was likely to be non-complying or non-conforming to the soon to be implemented Building Code … Read More

Strata Community Australia is stepping up its fight for fairness as the issue of non-compliant aluminium cladding impacts strata owners across Australia. Speaking at the Strata Fire Safety Forum, convened by Lannock Strata Finance last month, SCA President Chris Duggan said a whole of government approach was required to address a complex issue. “We want to see more protection for strata owners, including an extension of the definition of major defects to include aluminium cladding,” said Mr Duggan. “The first … Read More

Future owners of new apartments will be protected from buying into potentially unsafe buildings with Federal and State government agreement last week to place a moratorium on the use of composite aluminium cladding in high-rise construction. However current owners still face the prospect of having to arrange for inspections of their buildings to determine whether they must undertake costly rectification works. At the Strata Fire Safety Forum, convened by Lannock Strata Finance last month, Allan Harriman, Director of building regulation … Read More