Following the discovery of combustible cladding in multiple buildings in Victoria that were deemed to contribute to the spread of building fires, the Victorian Parliament has enacted the Cladding Safety Victoria Act. The Act exists to establish a formal body that will regulate and facilitate cladding services to keep Victorians safe. Here are a few key things you should know from the Act and how it could potentially benefit you.
Cladding Safety Victoria is now the authority on cladding rectification in Victoria—here’s what they do:
The official authority on safe cladding is called Cladding Safety Victoria (CSV). This body will support Victorian residents in rectifying and replacing unsafe or noncompliant cladding. CSV has a few official responsibilities:
- Financially supporting owners and owners corporations through cladding rectification jobs and providing them with information and advice regarding the job
- Sourcing building practitioners to work on cladding rectification jobs
- Procuring technical design and project management services for jobs
- Determining whether owners and owners corporations are eligible for financial assistance for cladding rectification
- Monitoring jobs where financial assistance has been granted
Appointing members of the CSV board:
This body will ensure that Victorian building owners and owners corporations are adequately equipped to rectify unsatisfactory cladding and have access to the financial support they may need. Members of the CSV board are appointed based on a variety of factors.
At least one member of the board must be qualified in building or construction;. Each member must have skills, knowledge, or experience within the building industry, risk management, public engagement and communications, public administration or governance, financial management, strategic planning, or legal practice. This is simply to ensure that all board members are the most qualified, trustworthy individuals to provide the best service possible to Victorian owners and owners corporations.
Securing financial assistance
It is up to CSV to prioritise financial assistance for buildings that have been flagged as being in need of cladding rectification. If a building is in need of cladding rectification, the building surveyor will notify CSV and include any supporting information in their notification. If CSV determines that the job may be eligible for potential financial assistance, the body will notify the owner or owners corporation that they are eligible to apply for the financial support.
In the event that CSV approves the application, the owner or owners corporation will enter into a funding agreement with CSV and be granted financial assistance to rectify the cladding in the building. Once the cladding rectification job has been finished, CSV is obligated to notify the Minister, the Authority, the municipal building surveyor in the district wherein the building is located, and any prescribed agency.
The Cladding Safety Victoria Act 2020 can be viewed in its entirety on the official Victorian Government legislation website. For more information about cladding and whether your building is in need of cladding rectification, contact an experienced professional at MAZ Group.