March 3, 2021

by ckcompliance

Common BWOF questions

I own a commercial/industrial property, what does the Building Act say I have to do?

It states that owners of a building containing specified systems must obtain a Compliance Schedule and ensure that any specified system operates effectively for the life of the building.

To ensure you meet your responsibilities, a Building Warrant of Fitness must be produced each year confirming all these systems have regularly been inspected, maintained and reported on.

What is a Form 12A Certificate?

This is a certificate issued by an Independent Qualified Person (IQP) verifying that a specified systems inspection, maintenance and reporting procedures, as set out on the Compliance Schedule, has been undertaken. This is provided to support the BWoF.

Who is responsible for issuing the Building Warrant of Fitness (BWOF)?

Issuing the BWOF certificate is the owner’s responsibility. This must be renewed annually, and displayed in a visible location in the building where it can be seen and to which the public have access.

Owners can employ agents to issue the BWOF and co-ordinate the entire process on their behalf.

Can I make my tenant responsible for the Building Warrant of Fitness?

The building owner’s responsibilities are clear, whether or not the building is tenanted. A building owner may delegate their responsibility to a tenant. But this does not alleviate the owner from liability if the tenant fails to fulfil obligations. A building owner or anyone acting on the building owner’s behalf in supplying documentation for the BWOF may be liable if they make a false or misleading statement.

What does CoveKinloch do?

CoveKinloch solves your BWOF. We complete all the IQP inspections required to get your BWOF each year, and as your agent complete all the onerous paperwork, and deal with the council for you. If you have your own contractors (ie Fire Alarm company), then we work directly with them, getting their required documents as well.

We also have various specialist staff available to provide additional compliance advice and technical support.