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builder wont fix defects where do i complain

The question, put plainly: Where do I take a building dispute in my state?

The short answer

Every state and territory has a civil tribunal that hears building disputes, and most require you to attempt resolution with the builder, and often with the regulator, before an application will proceed.

TradieAnswers editorial · written in-house and sourced to the authorities listed below

Checked against 8 published sources, listed in full at the end of this page. How we source this

Tribunals are deliberately cheaper and less formal than courts, and most are designed for people to use without a lawyer. They also have monetary limits and procedural requirements that vary, so start with your own.

WhereTribunal
New South WalesNSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT)
VictoriaVictorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT)
QueenslandQueensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT)
Western AustraliaState Administrative Tribunal (SAT)
South AustraliaSouth Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT)
TasmaniaTasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (TASCAT)
Australian Capital TerritoryACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT)
Northern TerritoryNorthern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT)

Before you apply

  1. Put the complaint to the builder in writing, describing the defect and what you want done, with a reasonable deadline.
  2. Lodge with your state's building regulator, which in several states can direct a builder to rectify and is faster than a tribunal.
  3. Get an independent report if the defect is technical. A tribunal decides on evidence, and your opinion is not evidence.
  4. Assemble the contract, all variations, every invoice and payment, and a dated photographic record.

Sources

Every source below was fetched and its response recorded on the date shown. Where a government site blocks automated clients, that is noted rather than reported as a successful check.

  1. NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal · NSW Civil and Administrative TribunalChecked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK
  2. Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal · Victorian Civil and Administrative TribunalChecked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK
  3. Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal · Queensland Civil and Administrative TribunalChecked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK
  4. State Administrative Tribunal · State Administrative Tribunal of Western AustraliaChecked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK
  5. South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal · South Australian Civil and Administrative TribunalChecked 2026-08-10 · live, but blocks automated clients so the specific page could not be confirmed
  6. Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal · Tasmanian Civil and Administrative TribunalChecked 2026-08-10 · live, but blocks automated clients so the specific page could not be confirmed
  7. ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal · ACT Civil and Administrative TribunalChecked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK
  8. Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal · Northern Territory Civil and Administrative TribunalChecked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK

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