The Palaszczuk Government will provide an extension to the compliance period for Part 2 and Part 3a of its Safer Buildings Program to give property owners and bodies corporate more time to meet deadlines around identifying buildings with potentially combustible cladding.
Minister for Housing and Public works Mick de Brenni met with construction industry peak bodies (convened as the Ministerial Construction Council) last week, following engagement with the property sector, including representatives of bodies corporate.
It also follows the Minister’s request to the Queensland Building and Construction Commission that they examine allegations some building professionals were possibly charging exorbitant fees to property owners to check their building for combustible cladding.
Mr de Brenni said a significant number of valid applications for extension under Part 2 of the Combustible Cladding Checklist were received by the QBCC.
He said, the two month extension recommended by the property sector and backed in by the construction industry, would see the stage 2 deadline extended to and Part 3a .
“Building owners, particularly bodies corporate, will now benefit from an extension to complete the checklist,” Mr de Brenni said.
“Property owners now have additional time and they are encouraged to ‘shop around’ and get their buildings assessed at a competitive price.
“This is about ensuring building owners are able meet their obligations to occupants, by giving them time to engage an industry professional.
“The Queensland Government will also provide additional technical information, as some building professionals reported difficulty interpreting the definitions in the regulations.
“This is about market certainty and creating a level playing field to adopt a wide-reaching approach so that all property owners are certain that their buildings are safe and secure.”
Simon Barnard, President of peak industry body Strata Community Association (Qld) welcomed the time extension.
“Bodies corporate require time to make collective decisions in a compliant manner and it has been difficult for many lot owners to do so.”
“Every resident in a strata building has the right to be safe in their own home and the assessment of the materials at Part 2 will ensure hazardous materials are identified but safe buildings are exited from the checklist.”
Mr Barnard said this is a great outcome for lot owners, saving Queenslanders collectively millions of dollars.
The SCA urges bodies corporate not to be complacent with these extended timelines.
The extension also captures those who have failed to submit extension requests to the compliance period by the previous due date.
