Private Building Surveyors
On 1 July 1994 the State Government initiated major changes to the Building Permit process by allowing registered private building surveyors the authority to issue building permits as an alternative to Council, who up until this date were the sole authority for the issuing of building permits within their municipal district.
As a result of these changes, builders, draftspersons, architects and developers can now approach either the local Council or private building surveyors for the issue their building permits and to carry out the subsequent building inspections of the works during construction.
This means that when a private building surveyor has issued the building permit, he or she becomes the responsible person for that permit and all the inspection of the works; not the local Council.
The legislation requires the private building surveyor to lodge a copy of their building permit and endorsed plans with the Council and Council must record details of the permits issued and to store the endorsed building permit plans.
If you are the owner of a property or a neighbour, Council can provide you with the name and contact details of the building surveyor who has issued the building permit, and the name of any of the other practitioners engaged in the project.
Complaints about registered building practitioners, building surveyors, inspectors, Draftspersons and builders can be lodged with the Building Control Commission at 733 Bourke Street, Docklands 3088, PO Box 536 Melbourne 3001 (tel 1300 815 127).
Other useful Building Commission publications regarding the private building surveying system can be accessed via the following:
Terminating the appointment of a building surveyor (PDF, 179KB) - What you need to know about the Building Practitioners Board (PDF, 351KB)
- What you need to know about the Building Practitioners Board Inquiries (PDF, 1.04MB)
For further information please contact Council’s Building Surveying Department on (03) 9599 4444.
Page last updated: 09 Jan 2012