A property tycoon who recently made headlines over controversial comments about workers, has had a luxury apartment complex he developed slapped with ‘hundreds of defects’ by the building’s body corporate.
Millionaire developer Tim Gurner, 41, is behind the $156million residential skyscraper FV Flatiron in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley.
Construction giant Brookfield Multiplex had been awarded the contract to build the 30-storey complex for the Gurner Group CEO.
But the apartment block’s body corporate is now suing the builder, claiming it is owed damages over multiple alleged defects rife within the complex.
A claim was filed in the Supreme Court by the body corporate on September 13.
A luxury apartment complex developed by outspoken property tycoon, Tim Gurner (pictured right with wife Aimee), has been slapped with ‘hundreds of defects’ by the building’s body corporate
An updated defects register that was filed as part of the claim listed ‘110 defects’ with the building’s common areas and the privately-owned apartments, the claim said, as reported by The Courier Mail.
The claim outlined issues with the building’s carpark, change rooms, tiling, apartments, fire doors and waterproofing system.
These alleged defects included ‘combustible cladding’, cracks in the concrete in the building’s carpark, water that’s ‘ponding’ and not draining on the roof membrane and ill-suited tiling installation in the complex’s change rooms.
Multiple residents of the luxury apartment block have complained about water leaks, marks and mould on their ceilings, floor and furniture.
One claimed the flooring in their kitchen had become ‘squishy’.
There were previous defects with the building’s garbage chute that were handled by Brookfield Multiplex.
The body corporate alleges in its claim that the construction firm had breached its contract by failing to complete the project with due care and diligence and failing to use quality materials.
It also alleges that the staff involved in the building’s construction were not fit for the job.
Construction giant Brookfield Multiplex built the $156million residential skyscraper FV Flatiron in Brisbane ’s Fortitude Valley
Mr Gurner came under fire over controversial comments he made about workers and the unemployment rate at the Australian Financial Review’s Property Summit earlier this month
Brookfield Multiplex had also failed to take responsibility or liability for the alleged defects and did not remedy them, according to the claim put forward by the body corporate.
No defence is due to be filed as the case is in the early stages.
No hearing date has been set for the matter.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Brookfield Multiplex and the Gurner Group for comment.
It comes weeks after Mr Gurner apologised over comments he made about workers and saying the unemployment rate needed to rise by 40 to 50 per cent.
He argued the Covid pandemic had changed the attitude of employees who needed to remember that they worked for their bosses – not the other way around.
‘We need to see pain in the economy,’ Mr Gurner told the Australian Financial Review’s Property Summit earlier this month.
‘We need to remind people they work for the employer, not the other way around.’
His comments sparked a flood of scathing criticism online – particularly on corporate social networking site LinkedIn.
The 41-year-old told Daily Mail Australia he regretted the ‘insensitive’ remarks.
The property developer (pictured right) apologised over the comments, telling Daily Mail Australia that he ‘deeply regret’ the remarks he made which were ‘wrong’
‘At the AFR Property Summit this week I made some remarks about unemployment and productivity in Australia that I deeply regret and were wrong,’ he said in a statement.
‘There are clearly important conversations to have in this environment of high inflation, pricing pressures on housing and rentals due to a lack of supply, and other cost of living issues.
‘My comments were deeply insensitive to employees, tradies and families across Australia who are affected by these cost-of-living pressures and job losses.
‘I want to be clear: I do appreciate that when someone loses their job it has a profound impact on them and their families and I sincerely regret that my words did not convey empathy for those in that situation.’
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