Building inspector bought into failed Bella Vista homes development

Saturday, 7 April 2018

Mark Bell – one of the inspectors who signed off on work in the Bella Vista development in Tauranga – purchased this 340sqm section, at 314 Lakes Boulevard Road, across the road from affected houses but in the same subdivision.

A Tauranga building inspector signed off on 'shoddy' work in a failed subdivision after developers sold him a house for $80,000 less than they charged his neighbours.

The Bella Vista development in Tauranga has been plagued by problems, which came to a head last month when residents from 21 homes in different stages of construction were told to evacuate their properties on Lakes Boulevard and Aneta Way due to safety concerns surrounding the building site.

Bella Vista homes director Danny Cancian says people who want to sue him should get in line.

Inspections from BCD Group engineer Colin Jacobson revealed issues with roof bracing, bottom plate fixings, joist hangers and steel beam connections that were either not installed, or installed improperly. He said it was among the 'shoddiest workmanship' he had seen in 30 years.

Mark Bell – one of the inspectors who signed off on work in the Bella Vista development in Tauranga – purchased a 340sqm section, at 314 Lakes Boulevard Road, across the road from affected houses but in the same subdivision.

Homes in the doomed Bella Vista subdivision which went into liquidation leaving some homeowners evicted from their properties.

* Evacuated Tauranga residents living on unsafe ground due to 'shoddy work'

* Cyclone Hola safety concerns spark Bella Vista Homes evacuation in Tauranga**

Damian and Jenny Coffey are left in limbo after being evicted from their Bella Vista Home that had received a code of compliance certificate. They await inspection reports to gauge the extent of any building issues they face.

Sales records show the section was purchased for $210,000 in August 2016 as part of a home and land package. The cost of the building is not recorded in public records but building consents of up to $280,000 were applied for.

Neighbouring properties were sold for at least $80,000 more but the developer, Danny Cancian, claims this was due to Bell's property being in a worse condition. Bell told Stuff that while in hindsight it was not the best situation, he stressed it did not affect the work he, and other inspectors performed.

As a former-policeman, he said he purchased the property before he was given the position of lead inspector on the development but had done several inspections of Bella Vista homes before purchasing on Lakes Boulevard.

'At the time I signed with Bella Vista the price was pretty good,' he said. 'But not that good I that I would consider it a favour.'

Bell followed process and completed a conflict of interest report in March 2017, and it was agreed that Bell would not inspect any part of the building work being undertaken on his own property.

A BDO Tauranga audit of council's Building Services Department recorded the inspector's proximity to Bella Vista as being a potential cause of conflict. But it did recognise it was acknowledged by the inspector.

The report found a 'heightened risk' of conflicting interests due to 'record levels of divisional activity and high staff turnover' as well as the practice of 'outsourcing of consent processing to third parties without a formal contracting process'.

Affected homeowners Jenny and Damian Coffey say they still have many questions about the building inspectors' work. The couple had to take on a rental while they wait for invasive testing of their property, which has a code of compliance.

'We feel we've been let down by all the systems that are designed to protect us,' Jenny said.

'We're just stuck in limbo.'

Meanwhile, a former member of the building services team, Bill Brouwer, filed a personal grievance against the council last year, which said he was asked to find ways to pass and fail certain buildings at the request of supervisors.

Brouwer's grievance claimed he was constructively dismissed after refusing to cooperate with building services team members.

Stuff could not confirm that the grievance was upheld but has seen documents that a payment of $16,191.70 was made to Brouwer, which was arranged through his legal team after mediation occurred. This was paid as wages not as a settlement.

Brouwer's complaint says pressure was put on inspectors and that in some cases they were told to find ways to fail inspections.

'I remember at one point [name withheld] asked me if I was a team player or not,' the grievance read.

'He went on the explain to me more fails equals more repeat inspections being required, which in turn creates more demand and the added bonus, it ensures more money is being generated by the re-inspection fees for council coffers.'

Brouwer, now living in Canada, said he was unable to comment on the specifics of the personal grievance but said building inspectors in Tauranga could find ways to pass or fail whatever they wanted.

'I think Bella Vista was a problem that they wanted to just go away,' he said. 'The council needs to be held accountable for this.'

Tauranga City Council has refused to comment on the allegations.