Hello there, we are Monica and Bruce Watt. We are fundraising to borrow funds to settle on our retirement home where we and my parents will live.

Before you ask, why should I help you? Please let us explain. We are not looking for a hand out, we have secured more than half of the payment by selling shares and personal items. We are asking for help to secure funds and repay as soon as possible after settlement as we cannot get bridging finance.

We have a concurrent settlement set for the 19th May which that has gone pear-shaped.

We did not plan to buy a house, we were looking around at where we would like to settle with a two year plan in mind. But we fell in love with a home and did what we have now been told was a cardinal sin and put an offer on the home before selling our own.

We knew we would sell our house fast as there has been a lot of demand in our area. Our home sold before auction inside two weeks of being on the market.

Things were great, until we had Parramatta Council complete an inspection check on our rear deck. The inspector questioned our privacy screens which had been up for 7 1/2 years, and our swimming pool which was bought with the house 12 years ago.

Luckily we had information about the pool which the council took a copy of. I want to make it very clear here. The council has been brilliant and doing their job. I cannot fault the help and support the council has been to us. As a ratepayer, it is is good to see how helpful they have been.

Soon after the Council visit we were sent a letter with an intention to issue a Demolition order. We had 14 days to take action. In this time we notified the future owner of our home as it’s the right thing to do, and there is an implied warranty on our home that there would be nothing wrong.

You don’t know us, but Bruce and I are both good people and compliant to regulation. You can check us both out on LinkedIn, where you can see our career and who we are. Feel free to check me out on Facebook has my profile is public. We sought confirmation of what was needed to ensure we did what was required before building.

We originally received verbal confirmation by phone from Holroyd Council in 2015 via their building division. We then saved the money to build the deck.

Then contacted Parramatta Council due to council changes in 2019 on the requirements for a first floor deck enabling rear emergency exit and was advised it had to be less than 25 m².

Our deck is 19 m², but we have now found since selling our home it required council approval.

With the letter and 14 days notice we got to work. Bruce and Dad dismantled the privacy screens, yet the new owner had requested $15k compensation for losing the privacy.

We have done everything we can to get a building inspection certificate. At no small cost we have had engineer report, (the engineer advised that it is over engineered with more supports that as required), structural drawings drafted, Sydney Water pipe diagrams and surveys reports submitted. These have been submitted to council but with many building applications received each day, they can only move so fast.

Here is where we get into the real trouble and why we are seeking help.

Understandably, this is a big concern for the new owner. We have been in negotiations with them offering to put funds in a trust to ensure they receive the building inspection certificate, or at worst case scenario, funds to demolished and rebuild.

This has been rejected by the new owner who, via their solicitor confirmed the building inspection certificate is required to Settle.

We have concurrent settlement requiring discharge of our current home to purchase the new home.

We cannot get bridging finance as I, Monica, was made redundant last year and do not have two years of consistent income.

Despite opening my coaching and consulting business Incredible Buzz it does not have sufficient time or income to sustain a loan. Bruce retired in 2015 and has no consistent income yet a self funded pension. My parents have not worked for decades and on a small pension.

We are not looking for a hand out, we want to pay back any funds offered once we receive settlement for our current home.

We have a plan to sell everything that we have, but we still fall short. We are taking this desperate measures to ask the public for help.

Thank you for reading our story and hope that you or maybe someone you know may be able to help.