Additional information for private building surveyors

Section 29A Requests for Consent & Report for Demolition: At Stonnington these are dealt with by the Planning Services Unit.

Seeking occupancy permit details

Private building surveyors should seek information about existing occupancy permits or old certificates of occupancy to ensure they are not breaching existing conditions or overlapping requirements. Regulation 327 enables any person to make such a request. Stonnington has a complete listing and ready access to copies.

Seeking Information about other building surveyors carrying out functions

It is often useful to double check that no other building surveyor has commenced functions at the site. This helps establish that there will not be a double appointment which would breach sections 78 and 79 of the Building Act. All it takes is a call.

Please note that, although Council will attempt to alert each PBS where there appears to be double appointment, we are not under direct statutory duty to do this and should not to be relied on for this purpose. Statutory duty rests on the owner and second pbs offered appointment.

Seeking information about outstanding building notices and orders

We strongly recommend that before accepting appointment private building surveyors should check whether there are any outstanding building notices or orders with relation to the property. Again, this will ensure that there will not be overlapping or contradiction of functions or decisions. Regulation 327 enables any person to make such a request. It is planned to soon have a free on-line register of current notices and orders.

Seeking details of essential safety measures

To enable an informed building permit assessment of an existing commercial building and to make a proper essential safety measures listing at the end, the relevant building surveyor needs to be aware of any prior listings to avoid confusion, duplication and contradiction. Stonnington has ready access to complete records as provided by previous building surveyors. Regulation 327 enables any person to make such a request.

Cancellation or lapsing of permits & termination of building work

In the case of termination of building work the owner must follow the processes of section 81(2) of the Building Act. It is usually up to the RBS to inform the owner of this process as most owners will be unaware. Please do not send letters to Council advising that no inspections were called or that a permit has lapsed unless there is a specific offence you are aware of that you wish Council to prosecute. Refer also our page on lapsed permits.

Transfer of appointment from one PBS to another

Where a second PBS accepts appointment for completion of functions of the first PBS (following proper Building Commission consent to termination) the requirements of Section 80 of the Building Act apply - ie notification to Council of the acceptance of that appointment within 7 days.