Changes to the Victorian Building Act and the VBA’s powers

Changes have been made to the Victorian Building Authority’s (VBA’s) powers and functions under the Building Act 1993. Some of these changes may affect your rights and duties under the law.

The VBA website has information about the changes, in particular:

• How these changes relate to you as a building practitioner, building surveyor or owner-builder

• When the changes come into effect

• What will be different when the changes come into effect, and

• Any specific things that apply during the transition to the new laws.

The first set of changes comes into effect on July 4, 2016 including:

• New offences for undertaking work without a building permit

• Changes to powers to issue directions, notices and orders

• A requirement on private building surveyors not to act where there is a conflict of interest

• The extension of the VBA’s inspection powers to owner-built sites

More changes will come into effect throughout this year and up to July 2017. These will include:

• Renewable registrations

• Abolition of the Building Practitioners Board

• Transfer of the Board's powers and functions to the VBA

• A new disciplinary process

There are also changes affecting building surveyors as well as owner builders, who will be subject to a raft of new regulation and scrutiny by the regulators. SPASA Victoria has expressed its support of the changes affecting owner builders, as it is beneficial to registered building practitioners including SPASA members.