Hundreds of West Australian property owners left in limbo with unfinished houses after Nicheliving builder Ronnie Michel-Elhaj loses his licence

A WA construction company has had its building registration revoked following years of delays and projects left sitting half-completed.  Nicheliving co-founder and managing director Ronnie Michel-Elhaj lost his building licence this week leaving more than 230 homes unfinished. Affected customers were told they could claim up to $200,000 from insurance following the Building Commissioner’s decision
Hundreds of West Australian property owners left in limbo with unfinished houses after Nicheliving builder Ronnie Michel-Elhaj loses his licence

A WA construction company has had its building registration revoked following years of delays and projects left sitting half-completed. 

Nicheliving co-founder and managing director Ronnie Michel-Elhaj lost his building licence this week leaving more than 230 homes unfinished.

Affected customers were told they could claim up to $200,000 from insurance following the Building Commissioner’s decision but because Nicheliving intends to appeal the ruling, they face an even longer wait to recoup any cash. 

Building Commissioner Saj Abdoolakhan said that he took action after information provided to the Building Services Board by Nicheliving left him ‘unsatisfied the company could pay its debts’.

One customer said when they tried to claim their insurance payment through the company they hit a brick wall.

‘They said they are looking at contacting QBE and telling them not to process any indemnity insurance claims,’ the customer told Nine News.

‘They’re going to be issuing an appeal to the state tribunal and asking for a stay on the decision as well.’

The young father’s home in the southern Perth suburb of Orelia has been sitting half-done for two years after work stalled and he added he was unable to even access his own building documents.

Nicheliving co-founder Ronnie Michel-Elhaj has had his building licence revoked

Nicheliving co-founder Ronnie Michel-Elhaj has had his building licence revoked

One of the construction sites which the owners said has been left sitting half-done for years

One of the construction sites which the owners said has been left sitting half-done for years

Nicheliving is the fifth WA builder to have its licence revoked in the last 18 months.

WA Premier Roger Cook blamed an ‘extreme period of imbalance after Covid’ for the chaos in the construction industry.

‘We are now getting through that period. This is another chapter as part of that process,’ he said.

WA Opposition leader Shane Love said: ‘Many people have put their lives on hold, and their letters to the State Government, the State Administrative Tribunal, and the Building Commission have not been met with the urgency or empathy needed.’

‘It’s clear the writing has been on the wall for Niche Living for many months, yet the state government has sat on their hands.’

WA Opposition leader Shane Love (centre) with some of Mr Michel-Elhaj's affected customers

WA Opposition leader Shane Love (centre) with some of Mr Michel-Elhaj’s affected customers 

The deregistration of Niche Living is expected to cost the state government over $40million in payments.

Mr Love said that for some customers the $200,000 they are able to access will be insufficient to allow them to complete their builds and the government should work with them to find a solution. 

Nicheliving has been involved in more then $500million worth of property deals in WA.

Mr Michel-Elhaj himself was previously recognised as one of WA’s top entrepreneurs at the 40under40 awards.

Daily Mail Australia has approached Nicheliving for comment. 

Total
0
Shares
Leave a Reply
Related Posts
Two ‘charity workers’, a headbutt and a mysterious head injury: What REALLY happened at Manchester airport that led to angry protests against police brutality – GUY ADAMS investigates
Read More

Two ‘charity workers’, a headbutt and a mysterious head injury: What REALLY happened at Manchester airport that led to angry protests against police brutality – GUY ADAMS investigates

A young Asian man wearing a turquoise top and shorts lies face down on the concrete floor of a multi-storey car park next to Manchester Airport's Terminal 2. His hands are by his side and a middle-aged woman crouches over him, seemingly in a state of enormous distress. Next to them stand two police officers
Columbia President Resigns After Months of Turmoil on Campus
Read More

Columbia President Resigns After Months of Turmoil on Campus

Columbia University’s president, Nemat Shafik, resigned on Wednesday after months of far-reaching fury over her handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations and questions over her management of a bitterly divided campus. She was the third leader of an Ivy League university to resign in about eight months following maligned appearances before Congress about antisemitism on their campuses.