ABC's 7.30 joins One Nation leader Pauline Hanson during a snorkelling tour of the Great Barrier Reef as the senator and her party attempt to disprove the effects of climate change. Vision courtesy ABC.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is unable to settle on the sale of the Gold Coast apartment she owns with her son Adam amid claims of outstanding legal fees.
The sale of the two-bedroom apartment in Biggera Waters exchanged last November for $265,000, but never completed before a caveat was lodged on title by Marino Law partners Robert and Ben Marino.
The stymied sales transaction has left the buyer Wendy Carrafa gob-smacked and unable to pay her own outstanding rates notice on the property because it is not held in her name.
The sale of Pauline Hanson’s Gold Coast property has hit a snag due to outstanding legal fees. Photo: Domain.com.au
“I don’t know where I stand and I’m left in the lurch until it’s all sorted out. I have the body corporate details in my name but the title can’t be in my name until the caveat is lifted,” Carrafa said.
“I was told that it [the caveat] was put on it for money owed to another solicitor.”
“I don’t know where I stand and I’m left in the lurch until it’s all sorted out.”Wendy Carrafa, Buyer
Senator Hanson’s office declined to comment for this story, but on December 19 last year she did update the pecuniary interest register to note the sale of the apartment.
The unit exchanged last November for $265,000, but the sale never went through due to a caveat on the property. Photo: Domain.com.au
Records show the caveat was lodged on December 7, 2016.
Adam Hanson, who owns the clothing label Shuush and has until recently resided in the apartment, was approached for comment but would only say: “There is no story. Please let this be.”
The Hansons purchased the home in 2007 for $220,000.
The Hansons purchased the ground-floor home in 2007 for $220,000. Photo: Domain.com.au
It was listed last October with a $295,000 asking price through LJ Hooker Broadwater with marketing that said: “My instructions are clear, this property must be SOLD!”.
The agent Anna Tang said she was unaware the settlement had not been finalised on behalf of the buyer.
Repeated requests to lawyers Robert and Ben Marino to explain the caveat went unanswered on Friday.
Pauline Hanson’s office declined to comment. Photo: Lisa Maree Williams
Ms Carrafa said she didn’t realise she had bought the apartment from Senator Hanson. “The Pauline Hanson?”
“My solicitor has spoken to the lawyer who put the caveat on the property, but we still haven’t heard back from them and meanwhile I’ve been left in the lurch,” Ms Carrafa said. “I’ve never heard of anything like this and I work in real estate. I will have to take legal action if it’s not lifted today.”
Queensland property expert Simon Pressley, founder of Propertyology, said it was “extremely rare” to come across sales blocked by caveats.
“A caveat is a brick wall for a buyer – you’re 99 miles down a 100 mile road and you can’t go that last step until it’s dealt with,” Mr Pressley said.
“It’s usually a significant grievance or a substantial amount of money outstanding for someone to issue a caveat on a property.”
“Caveats can be lodged and the owner and buyer wouldn’t know until the eleventh hour.”
He said it could involve the vendor going to the courts to have the caveat lifted.