Changes to Victoria’s building laws came into effect on Sunday, 1 July 2018.
The reforms affect all building practitioners in Victoria, as well as some plumbing contractors and suppliers.
The new reforms are designed to achieve compliance and transparency in the building industry, as well as increased consumer protection, so that anyone engaging a building practitioner can do so with confidence.
The Victorian Building Authority is responsible for implementing these reforms through amendments to the Building Act, the Regulations and other relevant legislation.
The reforms are part of the State Government’s ongoing building industry reforms program, which started in July 2016 and will end in July 2019.
The wide-ranging reforms include:
- New registration requirements for building companies;
- An ongoing transition time-limited registration;
- A new three-month deadline for registration renewals;
- Additional limitations on the issuing of a building permit;
- Clear demarcation over who has responsibility and control over a building project;
- New notification requirements for owners, builders and building surveyors;
- Changes to the suspension of building permits;
- New data reporting requirements for building permits and monthly levy returns;
- Changes to the appointment of Municipal Building Surveyors; and
- Changes preventing unregistered or unlicensed plumbers from profiting under contracts.
The VBA’s acting chief executive Mark Rossiter said the July 2018 reforms would benefit the entire building industry.
“These reforms will enhance the reputation of building practitioners, increase protection for consumers and build confidence in the industry,” he said.
Fact sheets, frequently asked questions and other resources explaining the July building industry reforms are available from www.vba.vic.gov.au/reforms.
