Most Victorians are surprised to learn that when a new home is constructed, or significant plumbing works are carried out on an existing property, there is generally no independent inspector physically checking whether the plumbing work has been done correctly before an occupancy permit is issued.

Ms O’Connell owned two residential properties in Windsor, Victoria, and engaged Lentelle Pty Ltd under separate domestic building contracts to redevelop the properties. Disputes subsequently arose concerning defective building work, leading Ms O’Connell to terminate the contracts and commence proceedings against the builder in the County Court of Victoria in late 2022.

Bastion Legal’s Dean Charalambous recently contributed to an ABC News investigation uncovering widespread failures in Victoria’s plumbing-insurance system. The report shines a light on families whose homes have been left uninhabitable after defective plumbing works, only to discover that the insurance meant to protect them is either inadequate, incorrectly issued, or denied altogether.