1. What are we talking about?
Historically when a WA home owner wanted to make a complaint against a WA builder for construction defects, after submitting their Complaint form, they would often be required by Building and Energy (previously known as the “WA Building Commission”) to obtain an Independent Expert Report to support their complaint and demonstrate why a construction defect exists. The key issue being it was the home owner’s obligation to prove that a defect exists.
Builders were often also required to obtain an Independent Expert Report in response to the Complaint to justify their position and demonstrate why the alleged construction defects were in fact, not defects.
The above position was in part supported by the fact that the adjudicator in these matters, Building and Energy, would generally not visit the construction site, so all of the evidence required, to support or defend these positions, had to be obtained and reported by Independent Building Inspectors.
The required processes, designed by Building and Energy, were expensive and took a substantial amount of time to progress.
The Independent Expert Reports produced by independent building inspectors often had to cover a multitude of construction items and in essence, these reports had to provide very detailed evidence supporting or defending the position. The report format was determined by Building and Energy. Given that the actual cost to remediate each individual construction defect item could be extensive, the reports and or supporting evidence, was often subjected to rigorous challenge, debate and dispute by opposing parties. Often matters were escalated to the State Administrative Tribunal where Lawyers are permitted to represent each party, resulting in further interrogation of the Independent Expert Reports. Within this background, it is not unsurprising that the costs of producing these reports were expensive and out of reach for many home owners and or builders.
The cost of obtaining Independent Expert Reports was potentially recoverable from the opposing party, however the lack of clarity and guidance at the outset made this position unreliable and risky for all parties. Building and Energy’s assessment of the costs were also considered inequitable by many parties.
2. What Has Changed?
Back to the future!
From 1 July 2020, Building and Energy will no longer require home owners to obtain Independent Building Inspection reports. Issues identified in the formal Complaint will be inspected by Building and Energy’s own building inspectors, who will provide the parties with an independent report.
On the face of it, this represents a potentially positive step for both property owners and builders. Appointing an independent party early in the complaint process may potentially result in clarity and direction in disputes earlier than is currently experienced.
For property owners, they will be able to provide builders with a notice of Complaint (see here) and then once the required period has elapsed, they can lodge the actual Complaint Form (see here) and pay a nominal fee ($120). Both of these documents need to be sent to the Builder involved. Presumably Building and Energy will then appoint their own inspector to review, investigate and report to all parties.
So on the face of it this new process is an absolute win for home owners. Their cost in progressing building defects against a builder potentially just got substantially easier and cheaper. The news for quality builders is also potentially very positive. The revised processes may prevent invalid and vexatious claims being made against the builder which can on occasions take considerable time and effort to resolve.
3. What are Construction Defects?
In WA, the Legislation provides that builders have a lifelong liability for significant construction defects. However, Building and Energy can only assist home owner’s progress their complaints against builders during the 6 years statutory defect liability period. This statutory defect period runs from the date of practical completion. Under the WA Legislation this date is drop dead! That is, unless a Complaint (not the Notice of Complaint) against a builder has been formally lodged with Building and Energy prior to the end of the 6 years, Building and Energy cannot provide any support to the home owner.
Beyond 6 years, property owners may be able to progress a Complaint against a builder but are likely to need to engage lawyers. Hence, residual defect will needs to be substantive to justify the investment.
What is a construction defect? Essentially we are looking for construction items which are not consistent with the approved construction plans, the Building Code of Australia, relevant Australian Standards and standards of professional workmanship. Sadly, some of these key documents are only available via an expensive subscription service, however the WA Guide to Standards and Tolerances (see here) provides home owners with a starting point. Unlike the suggestion from many builders, construction defects are not restricted to structural defects.
The challenge for many home owners is in actually identifying the defects. Some defects are obvious while others require experience, skills and qualifications to identify. A range of construction inspections reports from reputable building inspection firms should be able to support the property owner in gathering the evidence required to support the Notice of Complaint and or actual Complaint. These reports tend to be much cheaper than the cost of Independent Expert Reports. The construction reports should feed directly into the Notice of Complaint and the Complaint Form.
4. Why so many Defects and Complaints?
WA currently operates in a unique model when compared with much of Australia. Essentially all construction work on a residential property is self-assessed as satisfactory and complaint by the nominated Builder. There are no required substantive independent checks (other than potentially compaction test to the slab). This is in an environment where the vast majority of trades associated with the construction of a residential property are not Licenced, registered or in many cases required to have any formal qualifications with ongoing professional development obligations.
Now to be clear, there are a huge number of quality builders in WA who build excellent and compliant homes to an exceptionally high quality. Sadly, on occasions the other end of the spectrum is also over represented.
While the current compliance regime for residential construction remains, there is likely to be a number of complaints which will need to be progressed through Building and Energy.
5. Do the changes cover all Complaints?
The announcement from Building and Energy notes that “Some exclusions will apply to the services that Building and Energy’s in-house inspectors can provide, including inspections of high-rise buildings and detailed expert reports on subjects such as engineering, chemical analysis and corrosion”.
6. Do you have to use a Building and Energy Inspector?
Current indications are that home owners and or builders are not obliged to use the Building and Energy inspectors and can continue to utilise their own building inspectors to produce an Independent Expert report. The cost alone may negate this positon, but it remains an option noting that both parties retain the right to appeal decisions from Building and Energy to the State Administrative Tribunal.
7. What are the potential Challenges
1.1 Number of Complaints
Over the past 6 years we have seen a number of property owners concerned about aspects of the construction work, however the costs of progressing a complaint against a builder via Building and Energy were considered prohibitive. The gates have now been opened! Hence, any residential property owner who owns a building constructed within the last 6 years can potentially lodge a complaint with Building and Energy and have this issue investigated for a nominal cost.
Important note – The builder’s statutory defect liability obligations transfer to each subsequent owner of a property. It does not matter if the current owner did not engage the builder to construct the home. Any subsequent owner of a home can lodge a complaint with Building and Energy during the six year statutory defect liability period.
Given the relatively small number of inspectors currently employed by Building and Energy, they may quickly become very busy and a queue of Complaints may form.
1.2 Supporting Regional Property Owners
Currently, all of Building and Energy inspectors are located within Perth. How Building and Energy propose to efficiently and effectively support regional property owners is unknown.
1.3 Escalation to State Administrative Tribunal
For a variety of reasons Building Complaints will be transferred from Building and Energy to the State Administrative Tribunal (“SAT”). What status Building and Energy produced Inspector Reports will have in SAT and whether or not property owners and or Builders will be able to draw on these Inspectors and or their reports is unknown. The question remains will the entire process need to start again, with entirely new Independent Building Inspectors.
1.4 New processes
Like any new processes there will need to be a settlement period. How the proposed new processes establish themselves within Building and Energy is yet to be seen. However, the potential benefits for home owners and quality builders are clear.
8. Conclusion
The new arrangements announced by Building and Energy are a step in the right direction.
Any residential home owner with a property less than 6 years of age can now reassess lodging a complaint with Building and Energy where costs were previously a prohibitive barrier.
Quality Builders who focus on producing a quality product will benefit from the process. Unsubstantiated complaints should now be able to be progressed and resolved with minimal costs.
Substandard builders, the world has now changed. For $120 a home owner can now have their complaint investigated against a builder by a Building and Energy building inspector.
9. The Advertisement
Houspect undertakes practical completion and defect liability inspections to specifically identify construction defects. These reports can feed directly into Building and Energy Notice of Complaint and actual Complaint Forms.
When required, Houspect will continue to provide Independent Expert Repots for WA Building Commission, SAT and Magistrate matters.
Ideally, home owners should aim to avoid any dispute with their builder. Houspect offers staged construction inspections where we inspect the progress of the construction at every key stage of the build, hence avoiding many of the common dispute areas.
10. The Disclaimer
Houspect inspects buildings and constructions. Houspect are not Lawyers. This document is not intended as legal advice. If you need legal advice you should seek independent legal advice through a WA Legal Practitioner.
July 2020
Build, Buy, Invest in property with confidence Ph 9240 8855 Web: www.houspect.com.au/wa Email: info.wa@houspectwa.com.au
