The Building Control Intervention Filter Criteria

What is the BCIFC?

The 'Building Control Intervention Filter Criteria' (BCIFC) is a documented Council policy to address the responsibilities given to Councils under s212 of the Building Act in cases where a private building surveyor has similar responsibilities arising from his or her appointment for functions. It broadly applies the principles of AS/NZ 4360: Risk Management in a simple format derived from MBS and council experiences since the introduction of the Building Act 1993.

History

At the 2002 Annual Conference of the Victorian Municipal Building Surveyors Group Inc the following Position Statement was developed and adopted:

• The VMBSG recognises and accepts that a private building surveyor, appointed under the Building Act, is responsible for ensuring that the Act and Regulations are complied with in respect of the building, land or place in relation to which he or she is appointed.
• In recognising the above, the VMBSG recommends to councils that:
  1. they determine, in general, issues regarding the above [i.e. where there has been a complaint] will be referred to the private building surveyor for action; and
  2. in the case of imminent danger to life or property council will take appropriate action, and
  3. if it becomes apparent there has been a lack of action or inappropriate conduct or practice by any practitioner the matter will be referred to the BPB/BC as appropriate.
• The VMBSG will develop:
  1. guidelines to assist councils in developing policy when a council receives a complaint related to building work and a private building surveyor has accepted appointment and is responsible for carrying out the functions set out in section 76 of the Building Act 1993; and
  2. procedures and software specification for councils to adopt for referrals of the above to the BPB and Building Commission.

Following the conference, a working party of the VMBSG. in consultation with John Hoey of Hoeys Lawyers and the MAV developed the Filter Criteria. The draft Filter Criteria was put to meetings of municipal building surveyors throughout the state for feedback and comment.

In February 2003 the draft Filter Criteria was also reviewed and discussed at the 2003 LGPro Conference and enthusiastically endorsed by those participants present. The Building Control Intervention Filter Criteria is the result of input from all those persons and organisations.

The policy was formally adopted by Stonnington Council in June 2004.

For further information go to the section BCIFC Policy.