The Honourable Robert Schwarten
09/11/2010
Complaints against building certifiers only 0.15% of total inspections
The 127 complaints received by the Building Services Authority (BSA) about licensed building certifiers last year were just 0.15 per cent of the 87,000 residential construction projects that required the services of a building certifier, Public Works Minister Robert Schwarten said today.
Mr Schwarten said although complaints rose from 85 in 2009, it was still a tiny fraction of the building development approvals for residential construction work by certifiers.
The rise in complaints about certifiers mirrors complaint increases in other sections of the building industry following the Global Financial Crisis.
"The BSA takes each and every complaint seriously and investigates it thoroughly," Mr Schwarten said.
"It assists homebuilders who have disputes with builders, certifiers and other building industry professionals," he said.
"None the less, the number of complaints about certifiers is very small compared with the total inspections done.
"The increase in complaints in the past year is due to the Global Financial Crisis, which is still impacting severely on the building industry.
"It also is due to homeowners' greater awareness of their rights through activities such as BSA Consumer Information Seminars."
Mr Schwarten was responding to information requested in Question Without Notice number 1919, asked by the Shadow Public Works spokesperson Jann Stuckey.
He said the 87,000 inspections figure did not include approvals for commercial work, owner-builder works and some approvals for alterations and additions.
The time taken to investigate complaints about certifiers has decreased from 200 to 155 business days in the past two years.
The complaint investigation process is rigorous and includes giving the certifier 30 days to respond to the complaint.
The BSA also is appointing additional staff to its complaints processing unit.
Building certifiers' functions include:
• assessing building development applications for compliance with a variety of building codes and government planning schemes;
• inspecting building work at various stages of construction to verify compliance with the plans, specifications and approvals issued;
• certifying building work by issuing inspection certificates, final inspection certificates and certificates of classification as may be relevant; and
• the power to take enforcement action against builders and home owners for breaches and/or matters of non-compliance with building development approvals.
