Do I need a building warrant of fitness?
If your building has specified systems (such as fire alarms, lifts or air conditioning) as per the Building Regulations 2005, then the owner is required to ensure the building systems are maintained and serviced to ensure that their performance is guaranteed. Territorial Authorities are required to hold compliance schedules for all building with specified systems. It is also often a requirement of a building insurer that a building warrant fitness is up to date.
What is a Compliance Schedule?
A Compliance Schedule is a list of the specified systems within a building, the use and occupancy of the building, and other details such as owner. The Territorial Authority is required to hold a Compliance Schedule which will specify an annual date for renewal of the warrant of fitness.
What is an IQP?
An IQP is an Independent Qualified Person satisfied to inspect specified systems. No IQP can cover all specified systems, often several IQPs are required to certify systems within a building before a building warrant of fitness can be issued. It is usual that one contractor (such as CBIS Ltd) collates IQP certificates (known as 12A's) and issues the warrant (known as a Form 12).
Why is there no form for a Compliance Schedule in the Regulations?
The Building Act 2004 does not require a Compliance Schedule to be on a 'prescribed form'. As a result, there is no authority in legislation that allows this form to be created in Regulations.
How does the territorial authority know what the 'lawfully established use' is?
'Lawfully established use' is not defined by the Building Act. In the absence of a definition, a territorial authority should adopt a sensible approach when considering what lawfully established use is. In most cases the existing compliance schedule will state the use of the building. If doubt exists after checking the compliance schedule, the next step could be to establish whether a building consent has been issued that includes a change of use. Further information can be gained by comparing the 'intended use' description of work in past building consents and code compliance certificates. Changing the use of a building usually requires a building consent and report.
What do building compliance reports cover?
A compliance report covers the physical condition of the building from top to bottom. CBIS doesn't undertake structural reports (this is the province of a structural engineer) or assessments of electrical systems within a building and may rely on the advice of other experts for specialised systems. We will provide assessments of the building and recommend maintenance as required. We have over 40 years experience in the building industry and a very broad range of experience with different types of buildings. CBIS provides a comparison between the building performance and the requirements of the Building Code (where inspectable). Clients often find this useful especially when comparing different buildings.