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Building WoF Process
Building Warrant of Fitness Process simplified
Building Warrant of Fitness Process simplified
Buildings that contain specified systems (example: Fire -sprinkler/alarm/ automatic door, emergency light/power, HVAC, etc.) are critical to the safety and health of a building and those who use it. As a building owner, it is your obligation to make sure the systems are inspected and looked after according to the compliance schedule. The purpose of the Building Warrant of Fitness process is to make sure routine maintenance, testing, and inspection of these Specified Systems are carried out under the legal requirements of the Building Act 2004.
Steps of Building Warrant of Fitness process
-
Step 1: The Compliance Schedule Is Issued by the Local Council
The local BCA (Building Consent Authority /Council) will issue a Compliance Schedule accompanied by the Code of Compliance Certificate at the completion of consented building work. It will include the details of any Specified Systems that need to be regularly maintained, inspected, and reported on.
-
Step 2: Competent IQP’s Are Engaged
IQP’s (Independent Qualified Persons) need to be contracted to carry out the essential work. IQP’s are persons or businesses with no monetary interest in the building who are approved and registered by the local council.
-
Step 3: The Required Work Is Undertaken
A Building owner needs to make sure the maintenance, reporting and inspections as stated in the Compliance Schedule document are carried out within the required intervals.
-
Step 4: Required Documentation Is collected
All the IQPs involved must provide a “Form 12A” to show the appropriate requirements set out in the Compliance Schedule have been met. Without accurate supporting papers, a Building Warrant of Fitness cannot be produced. (‘Form 12A’ is known as Certificate of compliance with inspection, maintenance, and reporting procedures)
-
Step 5: Detailed Records Are Kept Somewhere Safe and Accessible
Records of all inspections, repairs and maintenance must be kept for at least 2 years. This includes any work carried out, dates, and faults found, remedies applied and the individual who completed the work.
-
Step 6: The BWoF Certificate Is Supplied
A building owner or an agent (on the owners behalf) must complete the requirements, sign and publicly display a new Building Warrant of Fitness every 12 months to confirm the requirements of the Compliance Schedule have been met. Failure to do so can result in heavy fines.
-
Step 7: All Necessary Documents Are Sent to Local Council
A copy of the Building Warrant of Fitness along with copies of any Form 12As completed by IQP’s and any recommendations to amend the Compliance Schedule are sent to the local Council. Local Councils will keep copies of these documents for the life of the building.
Having a current up-to-date Building warrant of fitness certificates proves that the owner has obliged with the Building Act requirements by maintaining & inspecting the specified system in the building under the building compliance schedule.
we understand all the processes and nuts and bolts in this compliance industry, we guarantee we are going to make your building compliance process an easy and stress-free. Contact the specialist in Building warrant of fitness management / Building compliance regime at BWoF Ltd today.
Building Owner Obligations in Building Compliance (Floating animations)
Driving a Car without WoF will incur fines from the police while driving around. Similarly, a building without a building WoF gets $2000 a day fine for the owner from the Territorial Authority. As the owner or manager of a building in New Zealand, you must be able to provide evidence of the building’s ability to meet the health and safety requirements of The Building Act 2004 and its associated regulations.
As set out under The Building Act 2004, all building’s that contain Specified Systems must supply a current Building Warrant of Fitness, owners of these buildings must: have current copy of the Compliance Schedule for the building and prepare the Building WoF documentation every 12 months.
Ensure all maintenance, inspections and reporting of Specified Systems are carried out within the time frames as set out in the building’s Compliance Schedule. Engage competent IQP’s and receive form 12A, inspections report etc. from them
Keep detailed records of all building inspection, maintenance and repairs undertaken over the last 24 months. Ensure the Compliance Schedule and other supporting documents are readily available for inspection by authorised persons.
Publicly display a current signed Building Warrant of Fitness Certificate and provide a copy of the renewed Building WoF and supporting documentation to the local council every 12 months.
Jargon’s of Building Compliance
Like any other industries, Building Warrant of Fitness regime has specific terms and acronyms that could be confusing at times, here below is a convenient guide to frequently used building compliance terms on a day to day terms:
Building Consent Authority – BCA
Typically the councils, who are authorised to issue building consents carry out inspections during construction and verify the satisfactory accomplishment of building work.
Building Consent
An approval issued by a building consent authority (the building control department of the district, city or regional council) to undertake building work in accordance with the approved plans and specifications
code compliance certificate- CCC
A certificate issued by a council, at the completion of building work, confirming that the council is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the building work undertaken complies with the Building Code and approved building consent
Compliance Schedule-CS
A document issued by a council for buildings containing specified systems. A Compliance Schedule (CS) states the Specified Systems and their performance standards and includes the inspection, testing and maintenance procedures, frequency of inspections and who should perform those inspections.
compliance schedule statement-CCS
A statement supplied by the council as interim public notification of the specified systems protected by the compliance schedule for a building and where the compliance schedule is kept. It is not a statement about the performance of the specified systems recorded. It is mandatory to be publicly displayed for 12 months from the issue of the compliance schedule. It is then substituted by the initial building warrant of fitness.
form 11 – application for amending a compliance schedule:
If there are any changes required to a compliance schedule we need to use form 11 to officially advice the council of any alteration or changes of any specified system. For example, there are emergency lightings in the building but due to human error, it has been missed on the list or maybe the IQP wishes to make a change in their inspection regime.
form 12a – certificate of compliance with inspection, maintenance and reporting procedures:
This form issued by IQP who undertook maintenance, inspection and reporting of the specified system. This is an official document that needs to sent to the council as a verification that the maintenance and inspection have done as per the compliance schedule requirements. Form 11 must be supplied to the council along with your form 12 (BWoF) annually
form 12 – Building warrant of fitness:
It is a declaration form by the building owner, or owner’s agent, that all the specified systems in the building have been maintained, inspected, and reported by the compliance schedule for 12 months before the issue date. A copy of form 12 needs to be sent to the council and publicly displayed in the building.
independent qualified person (IQP):
An individual (or a business) authorised by a council as qualified to maintain, inspect and report on specified systems.
inspection and maintenance reports:
Yearly written reports which are kept with the compliance schedule for at least two years. This incorporates test sheets/certificates or log books etc.
Notice To Fix
A notice to fix is typically issued by a Building consent authority (council), it will contain details of non-compliance issues relating to the Building WoF or the maintenance, inspection, or reporting processes stated in the Compliance Schedule that may not have been appropriately complied with.
Performance standard:
The level of performance a specified system was intended to meet, and to continue to meet, at the time it was designed and installed in a building.
specified systems:
Specified systems are features that contribute to the correct operation of a building. Specified systems involve ongoing maintenance and inspection to make sure they function as required because if they fail to operate appropriately, they have the potential to unfavourably affect health or life safety.
Third-party verification:
To confirm a specified system has been installed and working as per the performing standard to satisfy the building code, the council could engage a third party contractor. The contractor (hired by the council) might verify installation certificates, test reports, and commissioning results.
Building Warrant of Fitness Process simplified
Building Warrant of Fitness Process simplified
Buildings that contain specified systems (example: Fire -sprinkler/alarm/ automatic door, emergency light/power, HVAC, etc.) are critical to the safety and health of a building and those who use it. As a building owner, it is your obligation to make sure the systems are inspected and looked after according to the compliance schedule. The purpose of the Building Warrant of Fitness process is to make sure routine maintenance, testing, and inspection of these Specified Systems are carried out under the legal requirements of the Building Act 2004.
Steps of Building Warrant of Fitness process
-
Step 1: The Compliance Schedule Is Issued by the Local Council
The local BCA (Building Consent Authority /Council) will issue a Compliance Schedule accompanied by the Code of Compliance Certificate at the completion of consented building work. It will include the details of any Specified Systems that need to be regularly maintained, inspected, and reported on.
-
Step 2: Competent IQP’s Are Engaged
IQP’s (Independent Qualified Persons) need to be contracted to carry out the essential work. IQP’s are persons or businesses with no monetary interest in the building who are approved and registered by the local council.
-
Step 3: The Required Work Is Undertaken
A Building owner needs to make sure the maintenance, reporting and inspections as stated in the Compliance Schedule document are carried out within the required intervals.
-
Step 4: Required Documentation Is collected
All the IQPs involved must provide a “Form 12A” to show the appropriate requirements set out in the Compliance Schedule have been met. Without accurate supporting papers, a Building Warrant of Fitness cannot be produced. (‘Form 12A’ is known as Certificate of compliance with inspection, maintenance, and reporting procedures)
-
Step 5: Detailed Records Are Kept Somewhere Safe and Accessible
Records of all inspections, repairs and maintenance must be kept for at least 2 years. This includes any work carried out, dates, and faults found, remedies applied and the individual who completed the work.
-
Step 6: The BWoF Certificate Is Supplied
A building owner or an agent (on the owners behalf) must complete the requirements, sign and publicly display a new Building Warrant of Fitness every 12 months to confirm the requirements of the Compliance Schedule have been met. Failure to do so can result in heavy fines.
-
Step 7: All Necessary Documents Are Sent to Local Council
A copy of the Building Warrant of Fitness along with copies of any Form 12As completed by IQP’s and any recommendations to amend the Compliance Schedule are sent to the local Council. Local Councils will keep copies of these documents for the life of the building.
Having a current up-to-date Building warrant of fitness certificates proves that the owner has obliged with the Building Act requirements by maintaining & inspecting the specified system in the building under the building compliance schedule.
we understand all the processes and nuts and bolts in this compliance industry, we guarantee we are going to make your building compliance process an easy and stress-free. Contact the specialist in Building warrant of fitness management / Building compliance regime at BWoF Ltd today.
Building Owner Obligations in Building Compliance (Floating animations)
Driving a Car without WoF will incur fines from the police while driving around. Similarly, a building without a building WoF gets $2000 a day fine for the owner from the Territorial Authority. As the owner or manager of a building in New Zealand, you must be able to provide evidence of the building’s ability to meet the health and safety requirements of The Building Act 2004 and its associated regulations.
As set out under The Building Act 2004, all building’s that contain Specified Systems must supply a current Building Warrant of Fitness, owners of these buildings must: have current copy of the Compliance Schedule for the building and prepare the Building WoF documentation every 12 months.
Ensure all maintenance, inspections and reporting of Specified Systems are carried out within the time frames as set out in the building’s Compliance Schedule. Engage competent IQP’s and receive form 12A, inspections report etc. from them
Keep detailed records of all building inspection, maintenance and repairs undertaken over the last 24 months. Ensure the Compliance Schedule and other supporting documents are readily available for inspection by authorised persons.
Publicly display a current signed Building Warrant of Fitness Certificate and provide a copy of the renewed Building WoF and supporting documentation to the local council every 12 months.
Jargon’s of Building Compliance
Like any other industries, Building Warrant of Fitness regime has specific terms and acronyms that could be confusing at times, here below is a convenient guide to frequently used building compliance terms on a day to day terms:
Building Consent Authority – BCA
Typically the councils, who are authorised to issue building consents carry out inspections during construction and verify the satisfactory accomplishment of building work.
Building Consent
An approval issued by a building consent authority (the building control department of the district, city or regional council) to undertake building work in accordance with the approved plans and specifications
code compliance certificate- CCC
A certificate issued by a council, at the completion of building work, confirming that the council is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the building work undertaken complies with the Building Code and approved building consent
Compliance Schedule-CS
A document issued by a council for buildings containing specified systems. A Compliance Schedule (CS) states the Specified Systems and their performance standards and includes the inspection, testing and maintenance procedures, frequency of inspections and who should perform those inspections.
compliance schedule statement-CCS
A statement supplied by the council as interim public notification of the specified systems protected by the compliance schedule for a building and where the compliance schedule is kept. It is not a statement about the performance of the specified systems recorded. It is mandatory to be publicly displayed for 12 months from the issue of the compliance schedule. It is then substituted by the initial building warrant of fitness.
form 11 – application for amending a compliance schedule:
If there are any changes required to a compliance schedule we need to use form 11 to officially advice the council of any alteration or changes of any specified system. For example, there are emergency lightings in the building but due to human error, it has been missed on the list or maybe the IQP wishes to make a change in their inspection regime.
form 12a – certificate of compliance with inspection, maintenance and reporting procedures:
This form issued by IQP who undertook maintenance, inspection and reporting of the specified system. This is an official document that needs to sent to the council as a verification that the maintenance and inspection have done as per the compliance schedule requirements. Form 11 must be supplied to the council along with your form 12 (BWoF) annually
form 12 – Building warrant of fitness:
It is a declaration form by the building owner, or owner’s agent, that all the specified systems in the building have been maintained, inspected, and reported by the compliance schedule for 12 months before the issue date. A copy of form 12 needs to be sent to the council and publicly displayed in the building.
independent qualified person (IQP):
An individual (or a business) authorised by a council as qualified to maintain, inspect and report on specified systems.
inspection and maintenance reports:
Yearly written reports which are kept with the compliance schedule for at least two years. This incorporates test sheets/certificates or log books etc.
Notice To Fix
A notice to fix is typically issued by a Building consent authority (council), it will contain details of non-compliance issues relating to the Building WoF or the maintenance, inspection, or reporting processes stated in the Compliance Schedule that may not have been appropriately complied with.
Performance standard:
The level of performance a specified system was intended to meet, and to continue to meet, at the time it was designed and installed in a building.
specified systems:
Specified systems are features that contribute to the correct operation of a building. Specified systems involve ongoing maintenance and inspection to make sure they function as required because if they fail to operate appropriately, they have the potential to unfavourably affect health or life safety.
Third-party verification:
To confirm a specified system has been installed and working as per the performing standard to satisfy the building code, the council could engage a third party contractor. The contractor (hired by the council) might verify installation certificates, test reports, and commissioning results.