OPINION by Tim O’Dwyer M.A., LL.B Solicitor Consumer Advocate watchdog@argonautlegal.com.au What do you do when a property you have contracted to sell is damaged (by flood, fire or whatever) before settlement? What do you do if you are the buyer of that property? These critical questions arose for more than a few sellers and buyers across Queensland during the State’s extensive flooding of December 2010 and January 2011. A year later, with Queenslanders currently remembering...
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OPINIONby Tim O’Dwyer M.A., LL.BSolicitorConsumer Advocate watchdog@argonautlegal.com.au The blame for many uninsured property and financial losses resulting from floods and from Cyclone Yasi can be sheeted home to banks, building societies, credit unions and other lenders. Never mind the much-vilified insurance companies whose doubly-devastated policy-holders have found themselves not covered for flood or storm surge damage. While more than a few insurers may have failed to demonstrate any “utmost good faith” towards their policy-holders,...
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OPINIONby Tim O’Dwyer M.A., LL.BSolicitorConsumer Advocate watchdog@argonautlegal.com.au The saleslady told her first lie when Nurse Betty, as I’ll call her, noticed that the newly renovated highset house she liked adjoined a park and creek. “Any flooding here?” she asked. “Not a problem,” replied the saleslady. Most of us believe that nurses are very trustworthy – as surveys regularly show. I first really trusted and appreciated nurses during the big cleanup after Queensland’s 1974 Australia Day...
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