Insurance Changes for Building Practitioners

If you are a building practitioner, you will need to know about the changes that could affect your insurance due to the abolition of the Building Practitioners Board.

On 1^st September 2016, the Building Practitioners Board was abolished.

All of its functions and powers have now been transferred to the Victorian Building Authority (VBA), which has led to changes you may need to be aware of.

1. Registration for Building Practitioners

If you registered from 1^st September 2016, you will still be registered for a further five years. However, if you registered before 1^st September, you will need to reapply for registration in order to transition to the new five year registration period. The VBA will provide advance warning when you are due to reapply for registration.

It’s worth noting that the VBA will be able to impose conditions on registrations from 1^st September 2016.

2. ‘Fit and Proper Person’ Test

There will be a new ‘Fit and Proper Person’ test applied to all registration and re-registration applications which are received from 1^st September 2016.

If you exit the industry, you will be able to surrender your registration from September 2016.

3. Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

There will be a requirement for CPD introduced soon.

4. Discipline

There will be new grounds for disciplinary action as well as a new process for conducting disciplinary proceedings, which have been effective from September 2016.

This includes new types of disciplinary action (such as suspension of registration), which could be taken against building practitioners.

5. Enforceable Undertakings

The VBA will accept undertakings and tasks from building practitioners to do (or not do) specific things in relation to a show cause notice, within a specified amount of time.

Building Practitioners will also have the opportunity to apply for a review of applicable decisions. This will be through the VBA Internal Review Process.

6. Private Building Surveyors

Since the 1^st of September 2016, it is now an offence for builders to appoint a private building surveyor to review domestic building work.

7. Owner Builders

The VBA have introduced a number of updates that affect certificates of consent for owner builders since September 2016.

There is a public register on the VBA website which will publish details of owner builder projects.

8. Codes of Conduct

The VBA approves codes of conducts for various different types of building practitioners.

The VBA can also suspend or cancel licences if a practitioner is found incapable (via a formal show cause process) of practicing due to mental or physical illness.

If you have any questions about these changes or want to know how it directly affects your insurance, feel free to contact us.

Related Pages:

Building Designer Insurance Details

Building Inspection Insurance

Contractors Insurance

Contract Works Insurance