Building or renovating a house

Cladding Safety Victoria is a Victorian Government program that works to reduce the risk associated with combustible cladding on residential apartment buildings.

DBDRV commenced operating in 2017. This service replaced the BACV. The DBDRV helps to resolve domestic (residential) building disputes. DBDRV’s services are free. The DBDRV is a heavily engaged service and consumers should anticipate delays in the processing of their dispute.

The VBA is a statutory authority that oversees building legislation, regulates building practices, advises government and provides services to industry and consumers. The VBA regulates the Victorian building industry, administers the registration of Victorian building practitioners and monitors their conduct, accredits building products and construction methods and advises government on building policy.

The VBA has the power to intervene on a building site and issue directions to a builder to fix or repair work. The VBA can also secure an enforceable undertaking from a builder, which can require a builder to do a specified thing or refrain from doing it, or to pay the owner a sufficient sum to undertake repairs or complete work. An enforceable undertaking may act as an alternative to disciplinary action against the builder.

VBA’s website is useful for those contemplating building and renovation work; it provides technical and regulatory advice and practical hints.

For information on the role of VCAT in resolving domestic building disputes, see ‘Disputes’, above.