Apartment buyers have been hit with a double blow - inflammable cladding and poor building practices. There will be enquiries but in the end Governments will have to come to the rescue and so they should.

In the case of cladding, Governments were aware of the problem as early as 2010 and did nothing. The oversight of building works is a classic case of politicians promising and not delivering. Firstly they outsourced their responsibility to private certifiers and then denied warranties for any building over 4 storeys. To now announce “crackdowns “ on certifiers etc. is ridiculous.

It is critical that purchasers of new homes and units have confidence in the regulations. In the meantime, buyers should stick with large reputable builders even if they have to pay a premium.