Unit Owners Association of Queensland Inc

LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR BODY CORPORATE INSPECTIONS

To ensure that Bodies Corporate get the service they require and are protected, it is critical that only licensed contractors are engaged to undertake works on a Body Corporate property.

It is easily understood that trades people undertaking maintenance activities require licences. Everyone knows that a licensed electrical contractor is required to undertake any electrical work, and a licensed plumber is required to fix your drains.

However, it is not easily identifiable what licensing is required of contractors undertaking inspections to Body Corporate properties. The following is a listing of the common licensing required for property inspection services to Body Corporate properties.

Before engaging a contractor, it is critical to ensure they have the appropriate licence for the planned works. It is also critical to ensure the chosen contractor has the appropriate insurance specifically covering the type of work.

ASBESTOS AUDITS

There is no Building Services Authority requirement for licensing of asbestos auditors. This area is controlled by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland. This Department requires that a "competent person" perform the audit.

A competent person is described as a person having the following:

• has appropriate training, knowledge, experience and skill in identifying and assessing asbestos materials
• is familiar with building and construction practices to determine where asbestos is likely to be present
• is able to determine whether material is friable (easily broken) or bonded and assess its condition.

This person may be a building surveyor, an occupational hygienist, or a person who has previously worked in the asbestos removal industry and has experience removing different types of asbestos.

(Department of Employment and Industrial Relations Fact Sheet)

FIRE AND EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURES

To develop Emergency Evacuation Procedures to comply with the new Building Fire Regulations, the person AND the company MUST hold appropriate Building Services Authority licensing as of 1 January 2009 if they intend to perform this work outside of their own workplace.

To gain this licence, the person must have at least 2 years experience in this type of work and hold qualifications as a Fire Safety Advisor.

BUILDING DEFECT AND CONDITION ASSESSMENTS

In accordance with the Building Services Authority requirements, a person MUST hold a "Completed Residential Building Inspection Licence" to "Inspect or investigate completed class 1a and class 10 buildings, and provide advice or a report about a building in accordance with Australian Standard 4349.1 ‘Inspection of Buildings-Property Inspections-Residential Buildings’.

Class 1a building is a villa unit or townhouse.

WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY AUDIT

No Building Services Authority license is required to undertake Safety Audits. However, the person undertaking such audits should hold an occupational licence as a "Workplace Health and Safety Officer" from Workplace Health and Safety Queensland.

DEPRECIATION REPORTS

No special licensing is required to prepare taxation depreciation reports. However, the Taxation office has given the following example of appropriately qualified persons who can prepare such reports.

Estimating construction costs

Where a new owner is unable to determine precisely the construction expenditure associated with a building, an estimate provided by an appropriately qualified person may be used. Appropriately qualified people include:

• a clerk of works, such as a project organiser for major building projects
• a supervising architect who approves payments at stages of projects
• a builder who is experienced in estimating construction costs of similar building projects
• a quantity surveyor.

Unless they are otherwise qualified, valuers, real estate agents, accountants and solicitors generally have neither the relevant qualifications nor the experience to make such an estimate.

SINKING FUNDS AND INSURANCE VALUATION REPORTS

There are no licensing requirements for companies performing Sinking Fund Or Insurance Valuation reports. However, the above recommendations from the taxation department may be a good guide.

INSURANCE COVERAGE

The appropriate insurance coverage is essential for the protection of the Body Corporate. To ensure the appropriate insurance is held, obtain a copy of the insurance policy. Close reading of the policy will be required to assess the actual coverage. For inspection services, both Professional Indemnity and Public Liability insurance is required.

Lets say the work was to perform an asbestos audit. The policy must clearly state that "asbestos auditing" is specifically covered. If the policy does not list the works covered, then it can be assumed that there is no insurance coverage for the particular type of work.