Aucklander Pietta Collins has cancelled her contracts for two one-bedroom apartments in New Lynn’s Merchant Quarter apartment tower after seeing her completed apartments. Pietta and her husband recently had their final purchase inspections and found that structural pillars were built into the lounge and bedroom of both apartments.
Vendor and Purchaser Disagree
Apartment buyer Pietta is adamant that she disclosed to the property agents and developers that she wanted to live in the joint apartments within the next few years, but says that the pillars make the apartments unliveable. She withdrew her purchasing contracts based upon misrepresentation and non-disclosure from the vendors Tasman Cook.
However Tasman Cook director Leonard Ross stated that the Collins? had the structural requirements of the building explained to them in the plans and attached to the sale and purchase agreement. “The specifications as outlined in the purchase agreement calls for a steel column and beam structure, with reinforced concrete floors,” he said. “These columns are completed framed and boxed out and are integral to the structural integrity of this development.”
Buyer Beware When Purchasing Off Property Plans
Pietta Collins says that the 1 square metre structural columns in the bedrooms take up so much space that only a single bed will fit, unlike the double bed and other furniture that was shown in the building plans. She also says that each kitchen has been moved back a metre, which has further changed the size of each bedroom and bathroom.
Collins is determined to let other buyers know about the columns, which the agent says were put in to cantilever the building. Tasman Cook remains open to communicating with the Collins? to solve their issues, but the Collins’ are waiting to see if they will be taken to court for cancelling the contract and if they will lose their 10% deposit of $68,000.
Pietta and her husband’s plans to initially rent out and then live in the apartments are now unworkable. She says that they are unliveable and could not be tenanted or sold without a huge loss.
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