Here's a story from last week in Perth (Australia).

Guy's been in the building game for 40 years and wants to build an extension on his house. Can't get council plan approval because he doesn't have the necessary indemnity insurance (which costs a fortune) to guard against the builder (him) should he fail to do the work for the houseowner (him). If he the builder did default on the work for him the owner he'd have to sell his own house so that he could sue himself for non-completion.

Something like that anyway!

It's like a bloody nanny-state gone berserk over here!

Philip