Hundreds of families who missed out on the Victorian Government’s Porter Davis Homes bail out might now be eligible for support up to $50,000. 

Porter Davis collapsed earlier this year, leaving people who had signed contracts and many tradies working on their sites in limbo and out of pocket. 

The State Government announced a support package for homeowners but there were other people who had paid deposits with other builders who fell through the cracks. 

The first payments to Porter Davis Homes’ customers under the original customer support payment scheme will arrive in the coming days. 

Under the expansion of the scheme, clients of other collapsed builders, left significantly out of pocket if their builder failed to take out mandatory Domestic Building Insurance (DBI) on their behalf and went into liquidation, will be eligible. 

Eligible Porter Davis Homes customers who paid 3% pre-deposit money for “tender agreements”, but received no DBI cover, also will have access to payments up to $50,000. 

Snowdon Developments and Hallbury Homes’ customers, who have had similar experiences to Porter Davis customers, could be eligible for a payment capped at $50,000. To be eligible under the scheme extension, a builder must have entered liquidation between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. 

“Dreams turned to nightmares for people who should have been protected by their builders, and that’s not acceptable,” Acting Assistant Treasurer Tim Pallas said. 

“We’ve backed the original Porter Davis families, and now other hardworking families who have similarly suffered over the past 12 months will have the certainty and confidence they deserve to move ahead.” 

Domestic builders must take out DBI on behalf of customers when they accept a legal deposit. The Victorian Building Authority (VBA) is investigating the failure of Porter Davis to do so for many of its customers. 

The Government plans to reform the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995, strengthen domestic building insurance requirements and introduce a new offence with tougher penalties for builders who ask for deposits without taking out the required insurance. 

People affected by the liquidation of a builder in the past 12 months can provide details at vic.gov.au/liquidated-builders-survey. Guidance on how to make an application will be provided soon.