On Friday 16 Dec 22, amendments to the Building and Development Certifiers (BDC) Act 2018 came in to force. The BDC Act contains the regulatory framework under which Building Certifiers are registered and operate. Whilst not as well-known as the DBP or RAB act, it was introduced under the same legislative reforms and has had a significant impact on the way in which certifiers practice and subsequently how developments are undertaken in NSW. The key changes under this amendment are:
❶ New powers for the Building Commissioner – The Building commissioner now has the power to suspend a Certifier from practicing if there is disciplinary action already underway against the certifier, but it hasn’t been been finalised and suspension is considered necessary for the protection/safety of property or people.
❷ Mandatory compliance with Practice Standards – Conditions of registration for Building Certifiers have been updated to make compliance with the NSW Gov’s Certifier Practice Standards mandatory. This includes:
⇨ Compliance with Volume 1 of the standard (updated Oct 2022) for certifiers working on Class 2 apartment buildings; and/or
⇨ Compliance with Volume 2 of the standard from 1 Mar 2023 onward for certifiers working on Class 1a houses – this news aligns with news from NSW Fair Trading that houses would be the focus of a proactive audit commencing in 2023.
Whilst the Practice Standards only apply to registered certifiers, all practitioners are encouraged to read them, as they provide much needed clarity on roles and responsibilities of a certifier and are a great way to gain a better understanding of the compliance framework under which a certifier is required to operate.
Ever wondered what the minimum info for a CC is? Or what is the correct way to interpret a DA Condition? How about the roles and responsibilities of a certifier when completing a site inspection? It’s all covered in the Practice Standard
Volume 1 can be downloaded here: https://lnkd.in/g5TNMvEE
Volume 2 can be downloaded here: https://lnkd.in/g7an6xjg
Trying to keep on top of the seemingly endless list of regulatory changes and compliance requirements? Save your sanity and follow Code Consultancy Group
#construction #compliance #regulations #buildingregulations #buildingcommissioner #NSWFairTrading #Certifiers #CCGknowsRegulations
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