Strata Community Association (SCA), the Victorian property peak body, has welcomed all changes aimed at improving building quality and consumer protections in the state.

The Building Legislation Amendment Bill 2023, which is currently before Parliament, includes several amendments to the Architects Act 1991 and other relevant legislation, many of which are under strata title.

“Today is an exciting day for strata communities and industry alike, as the first steps towards ensuring greater confidence in building quality and safety begin to take shape,” SCA (Vic) president Julie McLean says.

“We strongly support the intention and the terms proposed under the Bill and view these long-overdue changes to Victoria’s building and architecture laws as a springboard for further reform to improve consumer outcomes and provide greater certainty and clarity for owners corporations about their rights and obligations.”

In particular, SCA (Vic) supports the implementation of several proposed measures in the Bill directly reflective of its own feedback to the first stage review of Victoria’s building system, aimed at better recognising and supporting owners corporations in preventing and responding to building defects, including:

• Implementing a mandatory, standardised building manual to be made accessible to owners corporations;
• Including a building manual as a condition for the issuing of an occupancy permit by a building surveyor;
• Creating and enforcing appropriate penalties for any refusal to hand over a building manual to an owner or owners corporation upon approval; and
• Establishing new registration requirements of building and design consultants and practitioners.

Other proposed changes under the terms of the Bill, which have also attracted the support of SCA (Vic) include formalising and strengthening the role of the State Building Surveyor and establishing a statutory building monitor appointed by the Victorian Building Authority (VBA).

“It is encouraging that the Andrews Government aims to address the key issue of building defects and accountability as it directly affects owners corporations, and to this degree, bodes well for future stages of the building system review,” Julie says.

“However, further improvement is needed, such as exploring the potential for replicating successful, data-driven building safety reforms such as iCIRT developer ratings, and the decennial liability insurance product available in New South Wales.”