The Building Commission is implementing enhanced complaints management, investigations and enforcement processes that it says will enable more effective building control in Victoria.

Building Commissioner Tony Arnel said the Commission has updated, and is now implementing, programs and policies to improve its efficiencies and effectiveness.

“Continuous improvement is taken seriously by the Commission. This year has seen extensive enhancement of policies and procedures in the areas of complaints management, investigations and audits,” he said.

“This will lead to a more finely tuned approach to the operational side of monitoring and enforcing industry compliance,” he said.

According to Arnel, the compliance, investigations and enforcement initiatives all use best practice and a risk based approach, in line with the objectives of the Building Act 1993.

“By being risk based, the outcomes of this work will identify and manage potential problems earlier, which will help ensure greater compliance by building practitioners, greater consumer safeguards and a safe, habitable, and amenable built environment,” he said.

The recent revision to complaints management demonstrated the approach the Commission was embracing.

Arnel said the Commission had undertaken a major strategic review of its consumer complaints management system. The findings of the review have been incorporated into an organisational system with procedures that deliver even greater efficiencies in complaints management.

“Complaints are better triaged according to the risk they pose, and captured in a business-wide system. Complaints projects are mapped with other projects so they do not overlap or compete with each other,” he said.

The complaints initiatives are also directed by an overarching policy manual, which was recently revised with input from other leading agencies. Key projects included are:

An audit program and procedures initiative that was launched at the AIBS conference on 21 October 2011, which sees a targeted program rolled out to councils that will ensure their building surveyors are audited in a two-year cycle.

Improvements to monitoring and enforcing the performance of building surveyors and the building permit system. The outcomes now see possible legislative amendments.

“This all provides greater clarity regarding the Commission’s role and enhances its focus on building control with more effective and efficient outcomes,” said Arnel.

For further information on Commission audits, monitoring and evaluation, investigations, complaints, compliance and enforcement policies and projects visit www.buildingcommission.com.au

Architecture & Design Team

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