Who We Help
Homeowners and Apartment Owners
For most people, their home is their most significant financial and personal investment, and a building dispute or strata conflict can be stressful as well as costly.
Archer Lawyers acts for homeowners and apartment owners in disputes about the homes they live in — defective building work, disputes with builders, and the strata issues that come with apartment ownership. We advise in plain, practical terms, so you understand your rights and options at every stage, whether that's dealing with a builder who won't return calls, a defect that's been ignored, or a dispute with an owners corporation over levies or by-laws.
We commonly advise homeowners and apartment owners on:
- Defective and incomplete building work: advising on claims against builders, contractors and developers, from first notice of the issue through to rectification or compensation
- Disputes with builders over contracts, payment and delays: advising on disputes over contract terms, progress payments, variations and delays in completing residential building work
- Statutory warranty claims: advising on claims under the statutory warranties in the Home Building Act 1989, including applicable time limits and common defences raised by builders
- Strata defect, levy and by-law issues: advising individual lot owners on defect claims affecting their unit or common property, unpaid levy disputes, and disagreements over by-laws
- Home Building Compensation Fund claims: advising homeowners on making claims where a builder can't meet their obligations
- Disputes with strata managers and owners corporations: advising lot owners on disputes over decisions, governance or conduct by strata managers, committees or owners corporations
- Neighbour and boundary disputes: advising homeowners on disputes with neighbouring landowners over boundaries, encroachments, fences and access
- Representation in NCAT and court proceedings: representing homeowners and apartment owners in the NCAT Home Building and Strata Schemes Divisions, and in court proceedings where required
Outcomes we help homeowners work toward include:
- Defects rectified by the builder or developer, or fair compensation where that isn't practical
- Building disputes resolved without losing the value of your investment to legal costs
- Your rights as a lot owner within a strata scheme protected
- A clear, well-evidenced claim if a matter proceeds to NCAT or court
- Statutory warranty and HBCF claims pursued within time and with the best available supporting evidence
- Levy, by-law or governance disputes resolved without unnecessary conflict with your owners corporation
- Practical, timely advice that helps you make decisions about your home with confidence
