Victoria proposes law to protect homeowners' rights

Victoria, Australia, is planning significant changes to its construction industry. The Building Legislation Amendment (Buyer Protections) Bill is designed to help homeowners facing issues with unreliable builders. This bill, proposed by the Jacinta Allan government, aims to strengthen protections against bad building practices. Some people welcome the changes, seeing them as positive news for homeowners. Others worry that increased regulations could raise costs in the long run. The changes come as Victoria aims to build 800,000 new homes in the next decade. Many residents have faced problems with builders cutting corners and not delivering quality work. High-profile site inspector Zeher Khalil supports the new law, saying it will give homeowners more power to address construction issues. Currently, homeowners have to go to court to resolve disputes, which can take a long time and be very stressful. With the new bill, authorities can require builders to make repairs without court intervention. However, industry experts like Scott Challen caution that this stricter regulation might hurt homebuyers. Challen acknowledges the need for better protections but believes the proposed changes will raise housing prices and not speed up the building process. He also notes that Victoria's new rules may influence other states in Australia. The bill is still under review in the Victorian parliament.