NSW resident association seeks sector and government support in its fight with Sakkara, plus a review of dispute resolution processes

The RVRA, the NSW residents association has sent out a special bulletin to all its members to join behind the residents of The Landings village in North Turramurra, owned and operated by Sakkara Investment Holdings. This is a prestige village approaching completion after 10 years. In that journey three builders have gone into receivership and there has been a substantial build up of defects and maintenance issues, now valued at $2 million+ to rectify. The residents have held meetings, negotiations and hearings for three years, culminating in a Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal (CTTT). The residents funded legal fees of $65,000 to fight the case and stated they will abide by the ruling of the Tribunal with Sakkara indicating the same. The residents were largely successful including the Tribunal awarding the residents approximately 85% of their legal costs. However Sakkara has now returned stating it is not prepared to accept certain decisions made by the CTTT and has served a summons on the village residents committee to appear in the District Court. Sakkara has also withheld the reimbursement of the resident legal fees pending the court outcome.
Consequently the residents had to decide whether they will fund further legal fees. A meeting of residents resulted in 160 of 166 that attended agreeing to commit more funds for the court case.
The RVRA, led by President Jan Pritchett, has stated they will limit their advocacy action to a statewide resident mailing program to the Minister and will not go to the media. She is personally involved as she is not only a resident of The Landings but her husband is Secretary of the village resident committee. He was serviced the summons by Gadens Lawyers.
The challenge for the sector is that the general view of operators will be damaged in the eyes of government as the RVRA is respected by the Minister and his staff, plus the simple fact that the operator is not prepared to accept the CTTT rulings - while the residents were prepared to. It is understood that the village is quietly for sale by Sakkara who will then have no further interest in the sector.