Research hub
NSW new-build consumer protection research
What the evidence shows
48,043
Residential building complaints to NSW Fair Trading
Calendar years 2016–2021. Complaints about residential building work — not unique new homes or new-build resale claims.
53%
Surveyed buildings with serious defects
2025 eligible NSW apartment-building (Class 2 strata, 4+ storeys) sample — not all new houses.
36%
Of affected buildings reported serious defects to the regulator
Within the same 2025 strata survey population — not the share receiving repairs or compensation.
These figures come from different sources, periods and populations and cannot be added together. See the evidence investigation.
Flagship research
Research · Flagship
The Hidden Cost of NSW Building Defects: Why the Real Problem Is Bigger Than the Complaints
NSW recorded 48,043 residential building complaints in 2016–2021. Why unreported defects and hard-to-enforce builder obligations matter to home buyers.
Research · Evidence investigation
NSW Building Defects by the Numbers: What Causes Accountability Failures?
A source-by-source analysis of NSW complaints, NCAT cases, hidden defects, SPVs, insurance limits and evidence gaps—without misleading prevalence estimates.
Protect yourself
Buyer guide
Who Is Accountable for Defects in a NSW New Build? SPVs, Developers and Builders
What is a property developer SPV? Who pays for defects when a NSW new home is sold? Understand legal liability, builder identity and recovery risks.
Buyer guide
NSW Home Building Compensation Insurance: What Does It Really Cover?
Learn when NSW Home Building Compensation cover responds, the $340,000 minimum cover, statutory timeframes and what to check before buying a new home.
Buyer guide
NSW Occupation Certificates, Partial OCs and DA Breaches: Buyer Risks Explained
Does an occupation certificate prove a new NSW home is fully compliant? Learn about partial OCs, development consent conditions, approved plans and buyer checks.
Buyer guide
Buying a NSW Home With a Pool: Compliance Certificates, Garden Beds and the 90-Day Rule
Can a house be sold with a non-compliant pool in NSW? What happens after settlement, and can raised garden beds or retaining walls affect pool safety?
Checklist
The Complete NSW New-Build Property Due Diligence Checklist
A practical, risk-rated checklist for buying a new NSW house or duplex: SPV seller, builder licence, HBC insurance, occupation certificate, DA, pools and hidden defects.
Buyer guide
What If a NSW Builder Refuses to Fix Defects? Complaints, NCAT and Recovery
What to do when a builder refuses to repair a NSW home: statutory warranties, Building Commission, NCAT orders, insurance triggers and enforcement risks.
Buyer tool
A Practical NSW New-Build Risk Scorecard: Where Buyers Should Investigate First
Practical new-build buyer risk categories: builder accountability, developer SPVs, planning approvals, HBC cover, structural work and pool certificates.
Buyer Protection
Dealing With Real Estate Agents as a Buyer in NSW: Rights, Disclosure, Negotiations and Contract Protection (2026)
What must NSW real estate agents disclose to buyers? A practical 2026 guide to misleading claims, price guides, offers, new-build risks, contract warranties, auctions and evidence.
Seller Protection
Dealing With Real Estate Agents as a Seller in NSW: Agency Agreements, Commission, Disclosure and Your Rights (2026)
The definitive 2026 NSW seller's guide to choosing an agent, negotiating commission, agency agreements, offers, underquoting, auctions, disclosure, termination and double-commission risks.
Buyer & Seller Protection
Buying or Selling Property in NSW: Auctions, Private Treaty & Competing Offers (2026)
How do NSW property auctions, vendor bids, private treaty and competing offers work? Know your rights, buyer strategies, seller safeguards and 2026 legal rules.
NSW Property Law & Consumer Protection
Who Regulates Property in NSW? The Definitive 2026 Guide to Authorities, Laws and Your Rights
NSW property regulators explained: Fair Trading, NCAT, Building Commission, councils, conveyancers, certifiers, SIRA, LRS and the laws that protect buyers and sellers.
Conveyancer comparison
Conveyancers and Property Solicitors in NSW (2026): Compare by the Type of Property You Are Buying
There is no single best conveyancer for every NSW property purchase. For an established house, prioritize competent contract advice, fast reviews and total fee certainty. For strata, you need someone who can interpret financial and defect records. For off-the-plan, prioritize developer con
Conveyancer comparison
Compare conveyancers and property solicitors for established houses (torrens title) in NSW (2026): first-cut shortlist
Choose a properly authorised solicitor or conveyancer who regularly handles **established houses (torrens title)**, gives you a written itemised fee estimate, reviews the relevant risks *before exchange*, answers questions promptly and can escalate technical or contested issues. The ten ca
Conveyancer comparison
Compare conveyancers and property solicitors for established strata (apartments, townhouses and villas) in NSW (2026): first-cut shortlist
Choose a properly authorised solicitor or conveyancer who regularly handles **established strata (apartments, townhouses and villas)**, gives you a written itemised fee estimate, reviews the relevant risks *before exchange*, answers questions promptly and can escalate technical or conteste
Conveyancer comparison
Compare conveyancers and property solicitors for house-and-land packages and custom builds in NSW (2026): first-cut shortlist
Choose a properly authorised solicitor or conveyancer who regularly handles **house-and-land packages and custom builds**, gives you a written itemised fee estimate, reviews the relevant risks *before exchange*, answers questions promptly and can escalate technical or contested issues. The
Conveyancer comparison
Compare conveyancers and property solicitors for off-the-plan purchases in NSW (2026): first-cut shortlist
Choose a properly authorised solicitor or conveyancer who regularly handles **off-the-plan purchases**, gives you a written itemised fee estimate, reviews the relevant risks *before exchange*, answers questions promptly and can escalate technical or contested issues. The ten candidates bel
Conveyancer comparison
Compare conveyancers and property solicitors for vacant land, rural property and acreage in NSW (2026): first-cut shortlist
Choose a properly authorised solicitor or conveyancer who regularly handles **vacant land, rural property and acreage**, gives you a written itemised fee estimate, reviews the relevant risks *before exchange*, answers questions promptly and can escalate technical or contested issues. The t
Conveyancer selection
How to Choose a Conveyancer in NSW (2026): What Matters Beyond Fees
Compare NSW conveyancers by authorisation, transaction experience, written scope, total fees, contract reviews, responsiveness, payment security and specialist support.
Verified cases and method
Research · Verified cases
NSW Building Defect Case Studies: What Official NCAT Reporting Actually Shows
Two independently verifiable NSW home-building case summaries from NCAT's official 2024–25 annual report, with buyer lessons and evidentiary limits.
Research · Methodology
Research Methodology: Measuring NSW Building Defects, Underreporting and Accountability
How to examine 40 NSW construction dispute cases without misleading conclusions: inclusion rules, SPV checks, enforcement, legal costs and reporting bias.
The two official annual-report examples are owner-commissioned building disputes, not developer-resale cases.