Owner-builder public register changes commencing 1 September 2016

There are some changes that effect Owner Builders commencing from September 1, 2016. This is a copy of the VBA fact sheet on those changes outlining what you need to know.

This fact sheet explains the new section 25H of the Building Act 1993 (the Act) that commences on 1 September 2016.

THE CHANGES

From 1 September 2016, responsibility for maintaining a register of owner-builder certificates of consent will transfer from the Building Practitioners Board, which will no longer exist, to the Victorian Building Authority (VBA). The VBA will be able to publish certain information held in the register on its website.

WHAT THE CHANGES MEAN

Owner-builders

Certain information held on the owner-builder register in relation to certificates of consent issued will be made publicly accessible on the VBA website.

The type of information that may be published by the VBA in a public register includes:

 the certificate of consent issue date
 the certificate number
 the name of the main applicant
 if a trust is used, the trust name and name of the applicant (beneficiary of the trust)
 if a company is used, the company name and ABN/ACN and the name of the authorised applicant
 the property address
 the type of building work
 the cost range of the work.The VBA will only publish information in respect of owner-builders who have applied for a certificate from 1 September 2016 onwards. Information will remain publicly accessible on the VBA website for ten years after the date the certificate of consent is issued.
Building practitioners

The public register will include information that relates to building practitioners who are required to have a certificate of consent to undertake domestic building work. For information about when a building practitioner is required to have a certificate of consent to be an owner-builder see the fact sheet on Building Practitioners and Owner-builder projects.

Consumers

Public access to certificates of consent information will assist consumers to identify owner-built homes and projects.

A potential purchaser of an owner-built home will be able to access the register in order to confirm whether a certificate of consent was issued and, if so, details in respect of the works that were to be undertaken.

This information will enable a purchaser to know whether they need to make further inquiries about whether the vendor has the appropriate insurance as required by the Act and complied with Victorian building laws.

Read the revised section 25H(3)

(3) The Authority may publish prescribed information kept on the register of certificates of consent on the Authority’s website.

Want to know more?

Victorian Building Authority

733 Bourke Street Docklands VIC 3008

www.vba.vic.gov.au

Please call the VBA on 1300 815 127.

© State of Victoria, Victorian Building Authority 2016 (Published 1 August 2016)

Download the printable VBA Fact Sheet here

Reposted with permission from OwnerBuilderInfo.com.au