They thought they were knocking down the right house, but a mix-up over numbers on letterboxes led to the mistake. Photo / Channel 9
They thought they were knocking down the right house, but a mix-up over numbers on letterboxes led to the mistake. Photo / Channel 9
If you think you're having a bad day spare a thought for the man whose house was demolished by mistake.
The crew from Daniel's Demolitions turned up to a house in Bankstown, Sydney and began tearing the property down.
They thought they were knocking down the right house, but a mix-up over numbers on letterboxes led to the mistake.
This is all that is left standing of Steve Ballas's property. Photo / Channel 9
The workers needed to demolish 200 Marion Street, but because the house next door (number 198) had a letterbox with number 200 on it, the wrong house was knocked down.
Steve Ballas owns 198 Marion Street, but because of the wrong letterbox always thought he lived at 200.
He came home to see his house being knocked down.
The local council confirmed Mr Ballas does not actually own 200 Marion Street - he owns 198.
Canterbury Bankstown Council confirmed his notices had 198 Marion Street printed on them. The council also said his house was in the right place between number 200 and 196.
The Bankstown businessman arrived at the property yesterday halfway through the demolition and told A Current Affair it was all done without his approval.
The property before it was demolished by accident. Photo / Channel 9
"All I know is I thought I owned 200 Marion Street, Bankstown, and it was a little house I was going to rent. But obviously I don't have that house anymore," Mr Ballas said.
Mr Ballas, who has owned the property for a number of years, was preparing his house for rent and raced down to the property when he heard the construction work was taking place.
He told The Torch the demolition was a simple mistake.
"What can I do? The only ones to win out of this are the solicitors," he said.
The owner of the demolition company, who only gave his name as Daniel, said he felt "sick" and "gutted" over the mistake and assumed they were at the correct address after checking the letterbox number.
The house which was supposed to be demolished but is still standing. Photo / Channel 9
He said he received instructions via email to demolish 200 Marion Street and never met his client.
The council had approved the demolition plans for the real 200 - the house next door to Mr Ballas' flattened property.
Police said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the demolition which is now the subject of a WorkCover investigation.
