Almost 100 Western Australian home owners have had problems with building contracts resolved through the State Government's new building disputes committee.
Consumer Affairs Minister Yvonne Henderson said 93 cases had been listed with the building disputes committee in its first seven months of operation, from May to December.
Of these, 65 had resulted in orders that the builder fix the problem, repay the home owner or refund the home owner for having it fixed by another builder.
Four cases had been dismissed and 24 adjourned.
Mrs Henderson said she was pleased to see home owners taking advantage of the new protection given to people contracting for building or associated work by last year's Home Building Contracts Act.
The building disputes committee was established under the Act to provide a forum for contractual disputes.
Prior to the Act, the Builders' Registration Board could assist with disputes between home owners and builders where the matter related to workmanship, but could not assist with contract-based disputes.
Mrs Henderson said the committee, which was independent of the Builders' Registration Board, was chaired by barrister Paul Marsh and included two representatives of the building industry and two consumer representatives.
"Buying or building their home is the greatest expenditure undertaken by most people and therefore an area which needs strong consumer protection," Mrs Henderson said.
"The State Government has provided this through the Home Building Contracts Act and the extension of the Builders' Registration Board jurisdiction to cover most of the State.
"A further broadening of consumer protection is provided by our including associated works in the Act - covering building contracts valued at more than $6,000 for such things as swimming pools, pergolas and landscaping.
"All Western Australian home owners now enjoy vastly improved protection in building contracts, with access to affordable, independent dispute resolution processes."
