Guidelines and information manuals
This stage involves the developer, the building inspector, the owners corporation, and Fair Trading. Building inspectors need to complete SBBIS tasks online in the Strata Hub.
What happens in this stage
The building inspector carries out their first inspection (interim inspection) between 15 to 18 months after the occupation certificate is issued. The building inspector must attend the site to perform the interim inspection.
The interim inspection is carried out to identify any defective building work.
Building inspector access
The building inspector must give at least 14 days written notice to the owners corporation and any owner/occupier of any affected lot (e.g, apartment) if they plan to enter.
All parties are required to provide reasonable access and assistance and not to obstruct or hinder a building inspector including:
- the owners corporation
- any person who has exclusive use of common property
- a strata managing agent
- building manager or manager of the common property
- any owner or occupier of a lot.
Identifying defective building work
Defective building work must be identified by visual inspection and use of equipment/techniques that do not involve destructive testing. The inspection can include removing any object designed to be moved/opened.
Building inspections do not provide a level of compliance, but do identify defective building work, to which Part 11 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 applies. It’s important all defective building work is identified and recorded now. The final report cannot contain any defective building work not reported in the interim report.
A secondary inspector should perform inspections outside of the appointed building inspector’s skillset. Any additional specialist/expert reports must be included as part of the interim report.
Preparing the interim report
The building inspector must use the SBBIS on the Strata Hub to produce the interim inspection report. The SBBIS on the Strata Hub includes the option to use the SBBIS Inspect App.
Once submitted and accepted in the SBBIS on the Strata Hub, a link to the report is provided to the following parties:
- the Secretary (i.e, Fair Trading)
- the owners corporation (who must then provide notice to the lot owners how to access an electronic copy of the report from them)
- the developer, and
- the builder responsible for defective building work.
If there is no defective building work identified in the interim report, the developer can apply to Fair Trading to request that a final report not be required. If the application is approved, the interim report becomes the final report. The building bond may then be returned to the issuer once considered by Fair Trading.
Building inspectors must comply with the technical note when conducting their interim inspection.
Arranging the building inspector for the final inspection and report (Stage 5)
The developer must arrange for the same building inspector who prepared the interim report to carry out the final inspection and provide the final report. They must then advise the Secretary (i.e, Fair Trading) of this within 14 days.
If the original building inspector is not available, the developer must give Fair Trading written notice of this within 14 days (after becoming aware).
If Fair Trading arranges the appointment of the building inspector, owners corporation approval is not required.
The developer must pay all inspector costs, even when the inspector is arranged by Fair Trading. There is a service fee payable by the developer when Fair Trading arranges the building inspector.
Building inspector access
The building inspector must give at least 14 days’ written notice to the owners corporation and any owner/occupier of any affected lot (e.g. apartment) if they plan to enter.
All parties must provide reasonable access and assistance and not obstruct or hinder a building inspector including:
- the owners corporation
- any person who has exclusive use of common property
- a strata managing agent
- a building manager or manager of the common property
- any owner or occupier of a lot.a
Mandatory reporting
Under the law building inspectors must complete combined interim and final inspection reports. To do this download and complete the document below.
How to complete online tasks
Building inspectors need to use the Strata Hub and complete SBBIS online tasks.
User instructions
Our user instructions make it easier for you to understand what to do on the Strata Hub.
Note: Each time you log in, you will need to enter the new verification code emailed to you.
SBBIS Inspect App instructions
‘SBBIS Inspect’ is a free app developed by NSW Government for building inspectors who are registered users of SBBIS on the Strata Hub.
‘SBBIS Inspect’ allows you to quickly log defects and add photos or video evidence to reports in real time during onsite inspections.
The offline capability means you can use the app in areas without internet service. Any onsite observations and detailed notes can be seamlessly uploaded to your desktop inspection report.
Contact us
During any stage of the process you can email us:
Strata Hub assist: [email protected]
SBBIS information at [email protected]