‘Sinking house horror’: Owner wins landmark $500k watchdog battle

A homeowner with a $500k repair bill facing half a metre chasms under his sinking house has defeated a construction watchdog in court – but could still face crippling costs due to payout caps. Desperate homeowner Anton Ady took to court after the dream home he bought on April 15, 2021 – built by Classy Homes Pty Ltd during the pandemic – turned into a structural ticking time bomb. His horror was cemented when the Queensland Building and Construction Commission knocked back his claim over it, citing a minor paperwork technicality – a move the court shredded in a landmark legal victory. The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal ruled in favour of Mr Ady, pushing his claim over his Brisbane home back on QBCC for reassessment – but despite the huge win the homeowner could be in for a rude shock. Asked to comment on whether the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme would cover nine defects uncovered with a $500k damage bill, a QBCC spokesperson would only flag that state warranty protection comes with severe legislative caps. “Being a statutory safety net, not commercial insurance policy, the warranty scheme has cover limits defined in legislation rather than automatically covering the...