PCL Lawyers

02/09/2026

Own a rental, a holiday home or a vacant block in Victoria? You may be paying land tax for the first time even if the value of the land is low. 🏢

Land tax is an annual tax on land you own in Victoria, based on the unimproved value of the land — not the buildings on it. Your own home is exempt.

From 2024 the tax-free threshold dropped to $50,000 of land value, and $25,000 for land held in trust. It was previously $250,000. That means even a small block of land or a parking spot can now trigger an assessment.

If you own more than one property, the site values are added together.

Assessment notices usually arrive between January and May. If yours doesn't look right, you have the right to object. ⚖️

Read the full guide 👇
https://buff.ly/BUAMv5W

28/08/2026

Buying land in Melbourne's growth areas? There may be a one-off tax attached. 🏢

As a part of our Victorian Property Tax series we have a look at GAIC the Growth Area Infastructure Contribution.

The Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution (GAIC) applies to certain undeveloped land brought into the Urban Growth Boundary and earmarked for urban development. It helps fund roads, public transport, schools and community facilities for growing communities.
Check out the map and whether your development or property is affected.

Not all land in Melbourne's growth areas is subject to GAIC. Assuming either way is where cost creeps in. ⚖️

The Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution is a one-off charge on certain land brought into the Urban Growth Boundary and earmarked for urban development, across Cardinia, Casey, Hume, Melton, Mitchell, Whittlesea and Wyndham.

https://www.pcllawyers.com.au/growth-areas-infrastructure-contribution-gaic-victorian-property-tax/

27/08/2026

Owed money by Bathla? Don't spend money chasing it until you've asked one question.

Voluntary administrators were appointed to Universal Property Group and Raj & Jai Construction on 25 August 2026. This is administration, not liquidation.
Here's the part a lot of people get wrong.

If your position is just "I'm owed money" — unpaid invoices, progress claims, variations, delay damages, rectification costs — you may be an ordinary unsecured creditor. Administration restricts proceedings and enforcement against the company. So chasing a judgment right now can cost you real money without moving you an inch up the queue.

In that case the sensible course is usually much simpler:

1️⃣ Identify the correct debtor company
2️⃣ Calculate what you're owed
3️⃣ Gather the contract, invoices, payment claims and correspondence
4️⃣ Lodge the claim with the administrators when required
5️⃣ Wait for the administrators' report

But some contractors and suppliers are in a genuinely better position than the unsecured pool — and those rights can be time-sensitive. Get advice promptly if you may have:

🔧 a PPSR registration or retention-of-title rights
🔧 your own plant, equipment or materials sitting on a Bathla site
🔧 retention monies that may be held on trust
🔧 a bank guarantee or other security
🔧 a claim against a Bathla entity that is NOT in administration
🔧 claims against principals, guarantors or other third parties
🔧 rights of set-off
🔧 Security of Payment or contractual rights with a clock running

⚠️ And if the administrators have asked you to keep working or keep supplying — sort out the terms and payment arrangements for that work before you continue, not after.

Read more👉 https://buff.ly/5bpBkrf

27/08/2026

Bought a Bathla property, or waiting on a build to be finished?

On 25 August 2026, voluntary administrators were appointed to Universal Property Group and Raj & Jai Construction.

This is administration, not liquidation — the administrators have said they want to stabilise things so construction and settlements can keep going where that's practicable.

Before you do anything, check one thing: which company is actually named in your contract?

The Bathla Group operates through a complex corporate structure. Entities within the group entering administration doesn't automatically mean your contracting entity is in administration.

Don't assume that terminating your contract or refusing to complete is the right response. Acting too early can damage rights that were otherwise worth something.

Read the full guide 👉https://buff.ly/5bpBkrf

20/08/2026

We had a fantastic day presenting at Crown Leadership’s Contract Law Fundamentals for Non‑Lawyers Masterclass in Sydney.

It’s always a valuable event with a strong turnout — thank you to everyone who joined. If you’ve got any questions, please reach out.

15/08/2026

"We'll just split everything 50/50."

It's one of the most common assumptions after a separation — and it isn't how Australian family law works.

There's no fixed formula. Rather than dividing property equally, Courts work towards an outcome that is "just and equitable" based on the circumstances of the relationship. That means looking at each party's assets and liabilities, their financial and non-financial contributions, and their future needs — things like age and health, income and earning capacity, who cares for the children, and housing needs.

The result? Two settlements that look similar on the surface can end up quite different.

Property settlement applies to married and de facto couples alike, under the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth).

👇 Read the full article on how the Family Court decidess: https://buff.ly/0xDwsim

11/08/2026

Wondering what's actually counted in a property settlement?

Usually more than people expect. The "property pool" includes all assets, liabilities and financial resources belonging to both parties.

Assets can include the family home, bank accounts, cash and savings, investments such as shares and bonds, businesses or business interests, vehicles and jewellery, insurance policies, superannuation, inheritances and family trusts.

Liabilities can include mortgages, loans, credit cards and other financial debts.

And here's the part that surprises people most: it does not matter whose name the property is in. Property held individually, jointly, or through entities and third parties may still be considered by the Court.

Getting a clear picture of the pool early makes the rest of the process far easier to work through.

👇 Read the full article on our website: https://buff.ly/0xDwsim

If you and your spouse have separated after being in a marriage or a de facto relationship, the thought of separating property can often be one of the main causes of concern, as you will need to address how to divide your property and financial resources. This process is commonly referred to as a pr...

06/08/2026

Your builder has gone bust. The site is silent. Nobody has called you. 😔

Swipe through for what actually happens next 👉

In 2023–24, almost 3,000 construction companies entered external administration — about 27% of all corporate insolvencies in Australia.

When a builder becomes insolvent, an insolvency practitioner takes control of the assets, records and liabilities. Work almost always stops. And creditors aren't always contacted straight away — so you may need to confirm the builder's status yourself via AFSA or the ASIC register.

From there you have two options: lodge a proof of debt with the insolvency practitioner, or claim under your Domestic Building Insurance policy. They're different routes with different requirements, and which one suits you depends on your circumstances.

Get advice before you choose. ⚖️
Read the full guide on our website: https://buff.ly/degqO5Y

29/07/2026

"Your claim was lodged too late."

It's a sentence that ends a lot of conversations with insurers. It shouldn't always. 💬

Section 54 of the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 might, in effect, excuse a late notification. It potentially applies where your policy allows the insurer to refuse to pay because you did something — or didn't do something — after the policy was issued.

Working out whether it helps means asking what would have happened if the claim had been notified promptly, and what the delay actually cost the insurer.

It's a difficult section. You don't have to work through it alone — we can help you. ⚖️

Read the full article on our website 👉 https://buff.ly/2lwZfG9

Section 54 of the Insurance Act Insurance policies often require that any claim under the policy be notified to the insurer “as soon as is reasonably practicable” (or something similar). What happens if the insured doesn’t notify the insurer of a claim as soon as is reasonably practicable? Can...

27/07/2026

At PCL Lawyers, our clients' outcomes and experience are at the heart of everything we do in litigation.

Great results matter — but so does our clients experience throughout the process.

Litigation can be complex and genuinely difficult to navigate, and we know that. That's why our team is committed to guiding clients through it with care, clarity, and dedication every step of the way.

Hearing about the real impact this has on someone's life is what makes the work meaningful. We're grateful when clients take the time to share their experience with us.