[ad_1]
Things
John Liong Kiat Wong has been fined more than $ 80,000 by a judge at the Auckland District Court. (File photo)
A developer who illegally built unsafe apartments in Auckland was fined $ 80,750.
John Liong Kiat Wong illegally converted a warehouse in Mt Eden into a building with offices, parking and nine residential apartments.
Wong’s irregularities were discovered in 2018 when a large concrete slab fell from the top level of the renovated building and landed on a neighbor’s roof, with hardly a skylight, Auckland City Council said.
The fines were related to four separate charges.
READ MORE:
* Two Auckland companies fined for added costs to ‘affordable’ homes
* Apartments without cars: Hundreds of people occupy open day places
* Former National Congressman Aaron Gilmore in dispute with St Pauls Apartment Body Corporate over legal fees
They carried out illegal construction work, continued to work in violation of a work stoppage requirement, failed to obtain a compliance schedule related to fire safety systems, and converted a building into accommodation without the consent of resources.
People lived in the apartments and basic safety features such as smoke detectors and fire sprinklers did not carry a guarantee of fitness, the council said.
Auckland District Court Judge David Kirkpatrick said Wong was a seasoned developer, so there was no explanation why he didn’t follow the rules.
He said the crime required a substantial penalty.
“In particular, the purposes of the Construction Law include providing security to the occupants of buildings,” he said.
“The deliberate behavior of the accused by not obtaining the necessary consents and by not verifying and approving the specified systems requires a deterrent sentence.”
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said the sanction reflects the seriousness of the infraction and will send a strong message to anyone who intentionally fails to meet their obligations under the Building Act.
Kerri Fergusson, Auckland Council compliance response and investigation manager, said Wong’s offense was calculated and deliberate.
It put the building’s occupants, as well as their neighbors, at risk for commercial gain, he said.
The ruling reflects the seriousness of Wong’s actions and should act as a deterrent for others who wish to avoid the legal process of obtaining the required consents and inspections, he said.
