New South Wales Bills

[Index] [Search] [Download] [Related Items] [Help]


This is a Bill, not an Act. For current law, see the Acts databases.


HOME BUILDING AMENDMENT BILL 2011




Home Building Amendment Bill 2011
No     , 2011


A Bill for

An Act to amend the Home Building Act 1989 to make further provision in respect
of home warranty insurance, statutory warranties, developers, building disputes and
administrative arrangements; to amend the Civil Liability Act 2002 in relation to
proportionate liability; and for other purposes.
Clause 1          Home Building Amendment Bill 2011




The Legislature of New South Wales enacts:                                            1

 1    Name of Act                                                                     2

               This Act is the Home Building Amendment Act 2011.                      3

 2    Commencement                                                                    4

         (1)   This Act commences on the date of assent to this Act, except as        5
               provided by subsection (2).                                            6

         (2)   Schedule 1 [6]-[11], [13] and [17]-[24] and Schedule 3 [1]-[8] and     7
               [11]-[15] commence on a day or days to be appointed by proclamation.   8




Page 2
Home Building Amendment Bill 2011

Amendment of Home Building Act 1989 No 147                                  Schedule 1




Schedule 1             Amendment of Home Building Act 1989                                     1
                       No 147                                                                  2

[1]   Section 3 Definitions                                                                    3

      Insert in alphabetical order in section 3 (1):                                           4
                    developer--see section 3A.                                                 5

[2]   Section 3A Application of provisions to developers                                       6

      Omit "is a developer who does the work" from section 3A (1).                             7

      Insert instead "is a developer in relation to that residential building work".           8

[3]   Section 3A (1A)                                                                          9

      Insert after section 3A (1):                                                            10

           (1A)    Residential building work done on land in the circumstances set            11
                   out in subsection (2) is, for the purpose of determining who is a          12
                   developer in relation to the work, deemed to have been done on             13
                   behalf of the owner of the land (in addition to any person on              14
                   whose behalf the work was actually done).                                  15
                   Note. This makes the owner of the land a developer even if the work is     16
                   actually done on behalf of another person (for example, on behalf of a     17
                   party to a joint venture agreement with the owner for the development of   18
                   the land). The other person on whose behalf the work is actually done is   19
                   also a developer in relation to the work.                                  20

[4]   Section 3B                                                                              21

      Insert after section 3A:                                                                22

      3B    Date of completion of residential building work                                   23

             (1)   The completion of residential building work occurs on the date             24
                   that the work is complete within the meaning of the contract               25
                   under which the work was done.                                             26

             (2)   If the contract does not provide for when work is complete (or             27
                   there is no contract), the completion of residential building work         28
                   occurs on practical completion of the work, which is when the              29
                   work is completed except for any omissions or defects that do not          30
                   prevent the work from being reasonably capable of being used for           31
                   its intended purpose.                                                      32

             (3)   It is to be presumed (unless an earlier date for practical                 33
                   completion can be established) that practical completion of                34
                   residential building work occurred on the earliest of whichever of         35
                   the following dates can be established for the work:                       36




                                                                                  Page 3
                    Home Building Amendment Bill 2011

Schedule 1          Amendment of Home Building Act 1989 No 147




                       (a)   the date on which the contractor handed over possession of       1
                             the work to the owner,                                           2
                       (b)   the date on which the contractor last attended the site to       3
                             carry out work (other than work to remedy any defect that        4
                             does not affect practical completion),                           5
                       (c)   the date of issue of an occupation certificate under the         6
                             Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 that              7
                             authorises commencement of the use or occupation of the          8
                             work,                                                            9
                       (d)   (in the case of owner-builder work) the date that is            10
                             18 months after the issue of the owner-builder permit for       11
                             the work.                                                       12

              (4)      If residential building work comprises the construction of 2 or       13
                       more buildings each of which is reasonably capable of being used      14
                       and occupied separately, practical completion of the individual       15
                       buildings can occur at different times (so that practical             16
                       completion of any one building does not require practical             17
                       completion of all the buildings).                                     18

              (5)      This section applies for the purposes of determining when             19
                       completion of residential building work occurs for the purposes       20
                       of any provision of this Act, the regulations or a contract of home   21
                       warranty insurance.                                                   22

[5]   Section 4 Unlicensed contracting                                                       23

      Omit section 4 (4). Insert instead:                                                    24

              (4)      A developer in relation to residential building work must not         25
                       contract with another person for the other person to do that          26
                       residential building work on behalf of the developer unless the       27
                       other person is the holder of a contractor licence authorising the    28
                       other person to do work of that kind.                                 29
                       Maximum penalty: 1,000 penalty units in the case of a                 30
                       corporation and 200 penalty units in any other case.                  31

[6]   Section 6 Application of requirements for contracts                                    32

      Omit "sections 7, 7A and 7B" wherever occurring in section 6 (2).                      33

      Insert instead "sections 7, 7AAA, 7A and 7B".                                          34

[7]   Section 7 Form of contracts                                                            35

      Insert before section 7 (1):                                                           36

             (1A)      This section applies to a contract only if the contract price         37
                       exceeds the prescribed amount or (if the contract price is not        38




Page 4
Home Building Amendment Bill 2011

Amendment of Home Building Act 1989 No 147                                   Schedule 1




                      known) the reasonable market cost of the labour and materials            1
                      involved exceeds the prescribed amount. The prescribed amount            2
                      is the amount prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of          3
                      this section and is inclusive of GST.                                    4

 [8]    Section 7AAA                                                                           5

        Insert after section 7:                                                                6

       7AAA    Form of contracts--small jobs                                                   7

               (1)    This section applies to a contract only if the contract is not one to    8
                      which section 7 applies and the contract price exceeds the               9
                      prescribed amount or (if the contract price is not known) the           10
                      reasonable market cost of the labour and materials involved             11
                      exceeds the prescribed amount. The prescribed amount is the             12
                      amount prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this           13
                      section and is inclusive of GST.                                        14

               (2)    A contract must be in writing and be dated and signed by or on          15
                      behalf of each of the parties to it.                                    16

               (3)    A contract must contain:                                                17
                      (a) the names of the parties, including the name of the holder          18
                            of the contractor licence shown on the contractor licence,        19
                            and                                                               20
                      (b) the number of the contractor licence, and                           21
                      (c) a description of the work to which the contract relates, and        22
                      (d) any plans and specifications for the work, and                      23
                      (e) the contract price if known.                                        24

               (4)    The contract must comply with any requirements prescribed by            25
                      the regulations for the purposes of a contract to which this section    26
                      applies.                                                                27

 [9]    Section 7AA Consumer information                                                      28

        Insert before section 7AA (1):                                                        29

              (1A)    This section applies only to contracts to which section 7 applies.      30

[10]    Section 7A Offence                                                                    31

        Insert "or 7AAA" after "section 7".                                                   32




                                                                                  Page 5
                    Home Building Amendment Bill 2011

Schedule 1          Amendment of Home Building Act 1989 No 147




[11]   Section 7BA Cooling-off period: person may rescind a contract for                     1
       residential building work within 5 days without penalty                               2

       Insert before section 7BA (1):                                                        3

             (1A)      This section applies to a contract only if the contract price         4
                       exceeds the prescribed amount or (if the contract price is not        5
                       known) the reasonable market cost of the labour and materials         6
                       involved exceeds the prescribed amount. The prescribed amount         7
                       is the amount prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of       8
                       this section and is inclusive of GST.                                 9

[12]   Section 18C Warranties as to work by others                                          10

       Insert at the end of section 18C:                                                    11

              (2)      For the purposes of this section, residential building work done     12
                       on behalf of a developer is taken to have been done by the           13
                       developer.                                                           14

[13]   Section 18E Proceedings for breach of warranties                                     15

       Omit section 18E (1). Insert instead:                                                16

              (1)      Proceedings for a breach of a statutory warranty must be             17
                       commenced in accordance with the following provisions:               18
                       (a) proceedings must be commenced before the end of the              19
                             warranty period for the breach,                                20
                       (b) the warranty period is 6 years for a breach that results in a    21
                             structural defect (as defined in the regulations) or 2 years   22
                             in any other case,                                             23
                       (c) the warranty period starts on completion of the work to          24
                             which it relates (but this does not prevent proceedings        25
                             from being commenced before completion of the work),           26
                       (d) if the work is not completed, the warranty period starts on:     27
                              (i) the date the contract is terminated, or                   28
                             (ii) if the contract is not terminated--the date on which      29
                                    work under the contract ceased, or                      30
                            (iii) if the contract is not terminated and work under the      31
                                    contract was not commenced--the date of the             32
                                    contract,                                               33
                       (e) if the breach of warranty becomes apparent within the last       34
                             6 months of the warranty period, proceedings may be            35
                             commenced within a further 6 months after the end of the       36
                             warranty period,                                               37




Page 6
Home Building Amendment Bill 2011

Amendment of Home Building Act 1989 No 147                              Schedule 1




                     (f)   a breach of warranty becomes apparent when any person          1
                           entitled to the benefit of the warranty first becomes aware    2
                           (or ought reasonably to have become aware) of the breach.      3

[14]   Section 48C Notification of building dispute                                       4

       Insert after section 48C (1):                                                      5

            (1A)    A contractor may notify the Director-General, in such manner as       6
                    the Director-General may approve, that the contractor has a           7
                    dispute with a person with respect to residential building work or    8
                    specialist work done by the contractor, not being a dispute with      9
                    another contractor. The regulations may impose restrictions on       10
                    the disputes that can be notified under this subsection.             11

[15]   Section 48D Investigation of dispute                                              12

       Omit "the complainant and the contractor" from section 48D (2).                   13

       Insert instead "the complainant and the person with whom the complainant is       14
       in dispute".                                                                      15

[16]   Section 90 Definitions                                                            16

       Omit the definition of developer from section 90 (1).                             17

[17]   Section 92 Contract work must be insured                                          18

       Omit section 92 (3). Insert instead:                                              19

              (3)   This section does not apply if the contract price does not exceed    20
                    the amount prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this    21
                    section or (if the contract price is not known) the reasonable       22
                    market cost of the labour and materials involved does not exceed     23
                    that amount.                                                         24

[18]   Section 92 (5)                                                                    25

       Omit the subsection.                                                              26

[19]   Section 95 Owner-builder insurance                                                27

       Omit section 95 (3) (b). Insert instead:                                          28
                    (b) if the reasonable market cost of the labour and materials        29
                          involved does not exceed the amount prescribed by the          30
                          regulations for the purposes of this section, or               31

[20]   Section 95 (5)                                                                    32

       Omit the subsection.                                                              33




                                                                              Page 7
                Home Building Amendment Bill 2011

Schedule 1         Amendment of Home Building Act 1989 No 147




[21]   Section 96 Insurance in relation to residential building work not carried            1
       out under contract                                                                   2

       Omit section 96 (3) (e). Insert instead:                                             3
                    (e) the reasonable market cost of the labour and materials              4
                          involved does not exceed the amount prescribed by the             5
                          regulations for the purposes of this section.                     6

[22]   Section 96 (4)                                                                       7

       Omit the subsection.                                                                 8

[23]   Section 102 General requirements for insurance                                       9

       Omit section 102 (3). Insert instead:                                               10

             (3)      The contract of insurance must provide for cover of not less than    11
                      the amount prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this    12
                      subsection.                                                          13

[24]   Section 102 (6)                                                                     14

       Omit the subsection. Insert instead:                                                15

             (6)      A contract of insurance may provide that the insurer is not liable   16
                      for such amount of each claim as is specified in the contract. The   17
                      amount specified is not to exceed the amount prescribed by the       18
                      regulations as the maximum excess.                                   19

[25]   Section 103B Period of cover                                                        20

       Omit "6 years after the completion of the work, or the end of the contract          21
       relating to the work, whichever is the later" from section 103B (2) (a).            22

       Insert instead "6 years after completion of the work".                              23

[26]   Section 103B (2) (b)                                                                24

       Omit "2 years after the completion of the work, or the end of the contract          25
       relating to the work, whichever is the later".                                      26

       Insert instead "2 years after completion of the work".                              27

[27]   Sections 103BA-103BC                                                                28

       Omit section 103BA. Insert instead:                                                 29

   103BA     Time limits for policies issued between 1.5.1997 and 30.6.2002                30

             (1)      A contract of home warranty insurance entered into on or after       31
                      1 May 1997 and before 1 July 2002 provides insurance cover in        32




Page 8
Home Building Amendment Bill 2011

Amendment of Home Building Act 1989 No 147                                   Schedule 1




                   respect of loss only if a claim in respect of the loss is made to the        1
                   insurer during the period of insurance.                                      2

             (2)   A loss that becomes apparent in the last 6 months of the period of           3
                   insurance has an extended claim period, which permits a claim in             4
                   respect of the loss to be made within 6 months after the loss                5
                   becomes apparent. There is no extended claim period for a loss               6
                   that arises from non-completion of work.                                     7

             (3)   For the purposes of this section and section 103BB, a loss                   8
                   becomes apparent when a beneficiary under the contract of                    9
                   insurance first becomes aware (or ought reasonably to have                  10
                   become aware) of the loss.                                                  11

             (4)   In this section and sections 103BB and 103BC:                               12
                   loss means loss indemnified by a contract of home warranty                  13
                   insurance.                                                                  14
                   period of insurance means the period for which a contract of                15
                   home warranty insurance provides cover.                                     16

  103BB     Time limits for policies issued from 1.7.2002                                      17

             (1)   A contract of home warranty insurance entered into on or after              18
                   1 July 2002 provides insurance cover in respect of loss only if a           19
                   claim in respect of the loss is made to the insurer during the              20
                   period of insurance.                                                        21
                   Note. Subsection (1) is the general rule but there are exceptions to this   22
                   general rule, as provided by this section.                                  23

             (2)   A loss that becomes apparent in the last 6 months of the period of          24
                   insurance has an extended claim period, which permits a claim in            25
                   respect of the loss to be made within 6 months after the loss               26
                   becomes apparent. There is no extended claim period for a loss              27
                   that arises from non-completion of work.                                    28

             (3)   When a loss becomes apparent during the period of insurance but             29
                   a claim cannot be made during that period because an insured                30
                   event has not occurred, a claim can be made after the period of             31
                   insurance (as a delayed claim) but only if:                                 32
                    (a) the loss was properly notified to the insurer during the               33
                         period of insurance (or within 6 months after the loss                34
                         became apparent in the case of a loss that became apparent            35
                         in the last 6 months of the period of insurance), and                 36
                   (b) the beneficiary under the contract of insurance making the              37
                         claim diligently pursued the enforcement of the statutory             38
                         warranty concerned after the loss became apparent.                    39




                                                                                   Page 9
                 Home Building Amendment Bill 2011

Schedule 1          Amendment of Home Building Act 1989 No 147




              (4)      A delayed claim can also be made when the insured event occurs          1
                       in the last 6 months of the period of insurance (as if the insured      2
                       event did not occur until after the period of insurance) subject to     3
                       compliance with the other requirements of this section for a            4
                       delayed claim.                                                          5

              (5)      A delayed claim cannot be made for a loss that arises from              6
                       non-completion of work.                                                 7

              (6)      The regulations can make provision for or with respect to what          8
                       constitutes or does not constitute diligent pursuit of the              9
                       enforcement of a statutory warranty for the purposes of this           10
                       section.                                                               11

              (7)      A loss is properly notified to an insurer only if the insurer has      12
                       been given notice in writing of the loss and the notice provides       13
                       such information as may be reasonably necessary to put the             14
                       insurer on notice as to the nature and circumstances of the loss.      15
                       The regulations can make provision for or with respect to the          16
                       form and content of such a notice.                                     17

   103BC      10-year "long stop" limit on claims under existing policies                     18

              (1)      Despite any other provision of this Act, a contract of home            19
                       warranty insurance entered into before 1 July 2010 does not in         20
                       any circumstances provide insurance cover in respect of loss           21
                       unless a claim in respect of the loss is made to the insurer within    22
                       10 years after the work insured was completed.                         23
                       Note. Section 3B provides for the date of completion of residential    24
                       building work.                                                         25

              (2)      This section does not operate to extend any period of insurance.       26

[28]    Section 103F Interpretation                                                           27

        Omit the definition of developer from section 103F (1).                               28

[29]    Section 121B                                                                          29

        Insert after section 121A:                                                            30

       121B   Information sharing with Self Insurance Corporation                             31

              (1)      A person engaged in the administration of this Act may disclose        32
                       to the Self Insurance Corporation or a member of staff of the          33
                       Corporation information obtained in the course of the                  34
                       administration or execution of this Act if the disclosure is for the   35
                       purpose of assisting the Self Insurance Corporation to exercise its    36
                       functions under this Act.                                              37




Page 10
Home Building Amendment Bill 2011

Amendment of Home Building Act 1989 No 147                              Schedule 1




              (2)   The Self Insurance Corporation or any member of staff of the          1
                    Corporation may disclose to a person engaged in the                   2
                    administration of this Act information obtained in connection         3
                    with the exercise of the functions of the Corporation under this      4
                    Act if the disclosure is for the purpose of assisting in the          5
                    administration or execution of this Act.                              6

              (3)   Information may be disclosed under this section by giving access      7
                    to any record of the information.                                     8

              (4)   A reference in this section to the functions of the Self Insurance    9
                    Corporation under this Act includes the functions of the             10
                    Corporation under section 8A (Specific functions in relation to      11
                    home warranty insurance) of the NSW Self Insurance                   12
                    Corporation Act 2004.                                                13

[30]   Schedule 4 Savings and transitional provisions                                    14

       Insert at the end of clause 2 (1):                                                15

                    Home Building Amendment Act 2011, but only to the extent that        16
                    it amends this Act                                                   17

[31]   Schedule 4                                                                        18

       Insert at the end of the Schedule:                                                19


       Part 19 Provisions consequent on enactment of                                     20
               Home Building Amendment Act 2011                                          21

       104   Definition                                                                  22

                    In this Part:                                                        23
                    amending Act means the Home Building Amendment Act 2011.             24

       105   Application of Part                                                         25

              (1)   This Part prevails to the extent of any inconsistency with any       26
                    other provision of this Schedule.                                    27

              (2)   Regulations made under clause 2 of this Schedule have effect         28
                    despite any provision of this Part.                                  29

       106   Purpose and operation of amendments                                         30

                    The amendments made by the amending Act are made for the             31
                    purpose of the avoidance of doubt and accordingly (except as         32
                    otherwise provided by this Part) those amendments extend to:         33




                                                                            Page 11
               Home Building Amendment Bill 2011

Schedule 1     Amendment of Home Building Act 1989 No 147




                   (a)   residential building work commenced or completed before         1
                         the commencement of the amendment, and                          2
                   (b)   a contract of insurance entered into before the                 3
                         commencement of the amendment, and                              4
                   (c)   a loss or liability that arose before the commencement of       5
                         the amendment, and                                              6
                   (d)   the notification of a loss before the commencement of the       7
                         amendment.                                                      8

     107     Legal proceedings not affected                                              9

                   An amendment made by the amending Act does not (despite any          10
                   other provision of this Part) extend to or otherwise affect any      11
                   decision of a court or tribunal in proceedings commenced in the      12
                   court or tribunal before the commencement of the amendment           13
                   (whether the decision is made before or after that                   14
                   commencement).                                                       15

     108     Thresholds for contract requirements                                       16

                   An amendment made by the amending Act to Part 2 of this Act          17
                   (or to the Home Building Regulation 2004, to the extent that it      18
                   relates to an amendment to that Part) does not apply in respect of   19
                   a contract for residential building work entered into before the     20
                   commencement of the amendment.                                       21

     109     Proceedings for breach of statutory warranties                             22

                   The amendment made to section 18E by the amending Act does           23
                   not apply in respect of a contract for residential building work     24
                   entered into before the commencement of the amendment.               25

     110     Insurance thresholds                                                       26

             (1)   The amendment made by the amending Act to section 92 (and to         27
                   clause 70 of the Home Building Regulation 2004, to the extent        28
                   that it relates to the amendment to section 92) does not apply in    29
                   respect of a contract for residential building work entered into     30
                   before the commencement of the amendment.                            31

             (2)   The amendment made by the amending Act to section 95 (and to         32
                   clause 70 of the Home Building Regulation 2004, to the extent        33
                   that it relates to the amendment to section 95) does not apply in    34
                   respect of a contract for the sale of land entered into before the   35
                   commencement of the amendment.                                       36

             (3)   The amendment made by the amending Act to section 96 (and to         37
                   clause 70 of the Home Building Regulation 2004, to the extent        38




Page 12
Home Building Amendment Bill 2011

Amendment of Home Building Act 1989 No 147                               Schedule 1




                   that it relates to the amendment to section 96) does not apply to       1
                   residential building work done before the commencement of the           2
                   amendment.                                                              3

     111    Minimum insurance cover                                                        4

                   An amendment made by the amending Act to section 102 (3) or             5
                   clause 60 or 69 of the Home Building Regulation 2004 does not           6
                   apply in respect of a contract of insurance entered into before the     7
                   commencement of the amendment.                                          8

     112    Excess for home warranty insurance claims                                      9

                   The amendments made by the amending Act to substitute                  10
                   section 102 (6) and insert clause 18 of the Home Building              11
                   Regulation 2004 do not apply in respect of a contract of insurance     12
                   entered into before the commencement of the amendments.                13

     113    Pending claims not affected by new time limits                                14

                   Sections 103BA-103BC (as inserted by the amending Act) do              15
                   not apply to a loss in respect of which a claim was made under a       16
                   policy of insurance before the commencement of the section             17
                   concerned, whether or not the claim was finalised before that          18
                   commencement.                                                          19

     114    Period of grace for claims where loss already properly notified               20

             (1)   The requirement under section 103BA (as inserted by the                21
                   amending Act) that a claim in respect of a loss be made during the     22
                   required claim period is satisfied in the case of a loss for which     23
                   no claim was made during the required claim period but that was        24
                   properly notified to the insurer during the required claim period      25
                   and before the commencement of that section if a claim in respect      26
                   of the loss is made within 6 months after the commencement of          27
                   that section.                                                          28

             (2)   The required claim period is the period of insurance or the period     29
                   of 6 months after the loss became apparent in the case of a loss       30
                   that became apparent in the last 6 months of the period of             31
                   insurance.                                                             32

             (3)   In this clause, properly notified has the same meaning as in           33
                   section 103BB.                                                         34

     115    Period of grace for proper notification of losses                             35

             (1)   The requirement under section 103BB (3) (a) that a loss be             36
                   properly notified to an insurer during the required notification       37
                   period is satisfied in the case of a loss that was notified (but not   38




                                                                             Page 13
                Home Building Amendment Bill 2011

Schedule 1         Amendment of Home Building Act 1989 No 147




                      properly notified only because it was not notified in writing) to         1
                      the insurer during the required notification period and before the        2
                      commencement of that section if the loss is properly notified to          3
                      the insurer within 6 months after the commencement of that                4
                      section.                                                                  5

             (2)      The required notification period is the period of insurance or the        6
                      period of 6 months after the loss became apparent in the case of          7
                      a loss that became apparent in the last 6 months of the period of         8
                      insurance.                                                                9

     116     Time limits on claims in insurance contracts                                      10

                      A provision included in an insurance contract for the purpose of         11
                      giving effect to clause 63 (3) of the Home Building Regulation           12
                      2004 is taken to be modified to the extent necessary to give effect      13
                      to clause 63 (3) of that Regulation as amended by the amending           14
                      Act.                                                                     15

     117     Limitations on beneficiaries under contract of insurance                          16

                      The amendment made by the amending Act to clause 55 of the               17
                      Home Building Regulation 2004 does not apply in respect of a             18
                      contract of insurance entered into before the commencement of            19
                      the amendment.                                                           20

     118     Proportionate liability                                                           21

                      This Part does not apply to the amendments made by the                   22
                      amending Act to the Civil Liability Act 2002.                            23
                      Note. Schedule 1 to the Civil Liability Act 2002 provides transitional   24
                      arrangements for amendments to that Act.                                 25




Page 14
Home Building Amendment Bill 2011

Amendment of Civil Liability Act 2002 No 22                            Schedule 2




Schedule 2              Amendment of Civil Liability Act 2002                           1
                        No 22                                                           2

[1]   Section 34 Application of Part                                                    3

      Insert after section 34 (3):                                                      4

            (3A)    This Part does not apply to a claim in an action for damages        5
                    arising from a breach of statutory warranty under Part 2C of the    6
                    Home Building Act 1989 and brought by a person having the           7
                    benefit of the statutory warranty.                                  8

[2]   Schedule 1 Savings and transitional provisions                                    9

      Insert at the end of clause 1 (1):                                               10

                    Home Building Amendment Act 2011, but only to the extent that      11
                    it amends this Act                                                 12

[3]   Schedule 1                                                                       13

      Insert at the end of the Schedule:                                               14


      Part 13 Provision consequent on enactment of                                     15
              Home Building Amendment Act 2011                                         16

       41    Operation of proportionate liability amendment                            17

                    The amendment of section 34 by the Home Building Amendment         18
                    Act 2011 extends to civil liability arising before the             19
                    commencement of the amendment but not so as to affect              20
                    proceedings commenced before the commencement of the               21
                    amendment (whether or not the proceedings were finally             22
                    determined before the commencement of the amendment).              23




                                                                           Page 15
                Home Building Amendment Bill 2011

Schedule 3      Amendment of Home Building Regulation 2004




Schedule 3             Amendment of Home Building                                        1
                       Regulation 2004                                                   2

[1]   Clause 11A                                                                         3

      Insert before clause 12:                                                           4

      11A    Thresholds for contract requirements                                        5

             (1)   The prescribed amount for the purposes of section 7 (Form of          6
                   contracts) of the Act is $5,000.                                      7

             (2)   The prescribed amount for the purposes of section 7AAA (Form          8
                   of contracts--small jobs) of the Act is $1,000.                       9

             (3)   The prescribed amount for the purposes of section 7BA                10
                   (Cooling-off period: person may rescind a contract for residential   11
                   building work within 5 days without penalty) of the Act is           12
                   $20,000.                                                             13

[2]   Clause 13 Requirements for contracts for residential building work                14

      Insert "to which section 7 of the Act applies" after "A contract" in              15
      clause 13 (1).                                                                    16

[3]   Clause 15 Exemptions from contract requirements for holders of                    17
      contractor licences                                                               18

      Omit clause 15 (d).                                                               19

[4]   Clause 17 Exemptions relating to cooling-off periods in contracts                 20

      Omit clause 17 (c).                                                               21

[5]   Clause 18                                                                         22

      Insert after clause 17:                                                           23

       18    Maximum insurance excess                                                   24

                   The maximum excess for the purposes of section 102 (6) of the        25
                   Act is $250.                                                         26

[6]   Clause 55 Beneficiaries                                                           27

      Insert after clause 55 (2) (d):                                                   28
                     (e) a body corporate that is related, within the meaning of        29
                           section 50 of the Corporations Act 2001 of the               30
                           Commonwealth, to any corporate person referred to in         31
                           paragraph (a), (b) or (c),                                   32




Page 16
Home Building Amendment Bill 2011

Amendment of Home Building Regulation 2004                               Schedule 3




                     (f)   a body corporate that is a related party, within the meaning    1
                           of section 228 of the Corporations Act 2001 of the              2
                           Commonwealth, of any corporate person referred to in            3
                           paragraph (a), (b) or (c).                                      4

 [7]   Clause 60 Minimum insurance cover                                                   5

       Omit clause 60 (1). Insert instead:                                                 6

             (1)    For the purposes of section 102 (3) of the Act, the amount             7
                    prescribed is $340,000 in relation to each dwelling to which the       8
                    insurance relates, subject to clause 69 (Requirements for              9
                    insurance for residential flat buildings).                            10

 [8]   Clause 60 (2) and (3)                                                              11

       Omit the subclauses.                                                               12

 [9]   Clause 61 Period of cover                                                          13

       Omit the clause.                                                                   14

[10]   Clause 63 Time limits for notice of loss or damage                                 15

       Omit clause 63 (3). Insert instead:                                                16

             (3)    If a beneficiary gives notice of a loss (the notified loss) to the    17
                    insurer, the beneficiary is taken for the purposes of a provision     18
                    included in an insurance contract pursuant to this clause to have     19
                    given notice of every loss (a related loss) that was caused by the    20
                    same defect as caused the notified loss, whether or not the claim     21
                    in respect of the notified loss has been settled.                     22

             (4)    The giving of notice of or the making of a claim for the notified     23
                    loss does not constitute the giving of notice of or the making of a   24
                    claim for any related loss for the purposes of sections               25
                    103BA-103BC of the Act, and those sections are not affected by        26
                    this clause or any provision included in an insurance contract        27
                    pursuant to this clause.                                              28

[11]   Clause 69 Requirements for insurance for residential flat buildings                29

       Omit "$200,000" from clause 69 (2) wherever occurring.                             30

       Insert instead "$340,000".                                                         31

[12]   Clause 69 (1) and (2)                                                              32

       Omit "$12,000" wherever occurring. Insert instead "$20,000".                       33




                                                                             Page 17
                Home Building Amendment Bill 2011

Schedule 3      Amendment of Home Building Regulation 2004




[13]   Clause 70                                                                       1
       Omit the clause. Insert instead:                                                2

       70    Insurance thresholds                                                      3

                    The amount of $20,000 (inclusive of GST) is prescribed for the     4
                    purposes of sections 92, 95 and 96 of the Act.                     5

[14]   Clause 71 Meaning of "structural defect"                                        6

       Omit "section 103B (2)". Insert instead "sections 18E (1) (b) and 103B (2)".    7

[15]   Schedule 3 Additional contract provisions                                       8

       Omit "The contractor must provide the owner with a certificate of home          9
       warranty insurance (for work over $12,000) before commencement of work         10
       and before demanding or receiving any payment.".                               11

       Insert instead "The contractor must provide the owner with a certificate of    12
       home warranty insurance (for work over $20,000) before commencement of         13
       work and before demanding or receiving any payment. Your contractor may        14
       be able to organise optional home warranty insurance for work up to $20,000,   15
       and you can discuss this with your contractor.".                               16




Page 18


 


[Index] [Search] [Download] [Related Items] [Help]