When Peter Olley and his wife Pamela Gaston looked to downsize almost three years ago, they thought they had found their home for good in a yet-to-be-built apartment block in Tuggeranong.
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Ms Gaston, who has emphysema, had struggled to move around their split-level home - so after months of searching for a place that would cater for their needs, the couple bought an apartment off the plan at Greenway.
"When we saw the plans it had adaptable units, disabled parking, larger than normal lifts, slight inclining ramps and everything that we were looking for because Pam relies on a motorised scooter to get around. We thought it was perfect," Mr Olley said.
"But on closer inspection and after settlement we found that she was unable to access these facilities due to manual doors."
The couple were responsible for one of about 60 submissions made to an inquiry into building quality in the ACT, after a parliamentary committee in April announced it would investigate the territory's construction industry amid growing concern about the quality of building work in new developments.
The committee has received 59 submissions ahead of its November 30 deadline.
The submissions have detailed accounts of water leaks at new properties, construction delays and broke builders leaving home owners thousands of dollars out of pocket.
Mr Olley said the plans for their new apartment didn't provide details of the doors.
"Me being a logical person thought if they have a ramp then they'll have electronic doors because the ramp is already recognising that they're dealing with people with mobility issues, but it's not the case," he said.
Instead, the doors needed to be opened manually. This makes it impossible for Ms Gaston to move around the complex in her mobility scooter by herself.
"The frustrating part is that the builders actually complied with the building code, so they didn't do anything wrong ... but there's a building code and there's a Premises Standards guide and the government was supposed to harmonise the building code and the Premises Standards together."
The Premises Standards, issued under the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act, came into effect in May 2011 to improve the accessibility and safety of new and upgraded buildings.
In Mr Olley and Ms Gaston's apartment building, the doors prevent access to disabled toilets, lifts and ramps.
"The facilities in here are actually fantastic, they're great ... they've even got a thing in the pool to get people in and out but the whole thing is the accessibility issue with the doors," Mr Olley said.
