Mr Khumra, the director of Diamond Builders Pty Ltd, has also been issued with a show cause notice foreshadowing disciplinary action in relation to 5 building projects in Bentleigh East, Canterbury, Chadstone and Hampton East.
The disciplinary action includes a statutory maximum disqualification from the industry for 3 years, the cancellation of his building registrations and cumulative fines totalling more than $200,000.
The breaches of the Building Act 1993, Building Regulations 2018 and the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995, include:
- Failure to build as required and to have the relevant building permit;
- Failure to notify the relevant building surveyor that building work has been completed to a mandatory inspection stage;
- Failure to properly respond to written directions to fix building work;
- Demanding more than the progress payments allowed for under the Domestic Building Contracts Act; and
- Varying the terms of a major domestic building contract in a manner other than provided for by the Domestic Building Contracts Act.
The immediate suspension means Mr Khumra and Diamond Builders are banned from entering into any new building projects and have a limited time to attend their current construction sites to make them safe and ready for handover to a new builder.
Mr Khumra has the option to appeal the immediate suspension to VCAT within 28 days and also has the right to make submissions to the VBA within the same period, before a disciplinary outcome is determined.
Quotes attributable to VBA Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer Anna Cronin
"The immediate suspension of Waleed Khumra prevents any more consumers from being impacted while our disciplinary process runs its course."
"The VBA will use its full suite of disciplinary powers and tools to hold rogue practitioners who harm consumers to account."
"The VBA is undergoing a major reform program prioritising consumer protections, improving regulatory effectiveness, and educating for higher standards in the building industry "
