Amendments to Building Act 2004 passed into law

Technical issues related to the Building Act 2004 have now been resolved.

Amendments to the Building Act were included in the Legislation (Incorporation by Reference) Bill that received royal assent from the Governor-General in April and is now law.

The amendments took effect from 14 April 2005 with the majority correcting and clarifying drafting issues that became apparent when some provisions of the Building Act 2004 came into force in March.

Changes have also been made to section 363, which makes it an offence to use, or permit use of, premises intended for public use that are affected by building work.

These changes clarify how the provision is applied, and introduce a certificate for public use and transitional arrangements.

The Department appreciates the assistance of the building sector in identifying provisions that needed additional clarification or correction, and developing practical solutions.

The Department will now update guidance documents, publications and the Building Act 2004 website to reflect these changes.

The full Building Amendment Act is available from Bennetts Government Bookshop and the Building Act 2004 website: www.dbh.govt.nz