Homeowners have been left facing uncertainty after Australian property developer Bathla Group collapsed into voluntary administration, with would-be buyer Janice Cahill describing the situation as devastating and saying she feels betrayed over the apartment being built for her at Kembla Grange, near Wollongong.
Ms Cahill bought the two-bedroom property off the plan but has seen its expected completion date repeatedly pushed back. What was initially due in September last year was delayed to December 2025, then March, April, August and September 2026, before she was told to expect completion by 31 December.
She is currently living in a studio apartment while paying rent and storage costs, waiting for clarity over whether the development will be completed. The delays have become particularly difficult as she prepares for double knee replacement surgery.
Bathla Group entered administration on 25 August, placing hundreds of developments across New South Wales in doubt. Its main corporate entity, Universal Property Group, reported liabilities of about A$3.2 billion as of June last year, according to documents lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
Administrators from Teneo Financial Advisory Australia have been assessing the sprawling business and seeking emergency funding to keep construction work moving. About 2,000 homes are understood to be under construction, with a further 13,000 in the group’s development pipeline.
Bathla has blamed a combination of falling sales, weaker property prices, changes arising from the federal government’s May budget and rising construction costs for its financial difficulties. The group operates through a complex network of companies involved in housing, townhouse and apartment projects, particularly across Western Sydney.
But for buyers such as Ms Cahill, the immediate concern is whether their homes will ever be finished. She said she had received no contact from Bathla after the administration was announced and was struggling to understand what would happen to her purchase.
The first formal meeting of creditors is scheduled for 4 September. Until then, administrators are expected to continue negotiations with lenders and other stakeholders while determining whether any part of Bathla’s business can be rescued.
