Compliance summary reports

When a house has been extended or altered, the available plans help establish what was approved. We review those documents against the accessible property and record apparent differences that need clarification.

Examples include an added room, a garage converted to living space, or an external structure that does not appear in the records provided. A missing document is not, by itself, proof that work is unlawful. Further records or advice from the relevant authority may be needed.

• Supply the property address, available approved drawings and certificates.
• Tell us about additions, changes of use and work carried out by previous owners.
• Identify any particular structure or alteration you want considered.
• Allow time to obtain records before the sale or purchase deadline.

If records need to be ordered, we can discuss the building conveyancing file and the owner’s authority required. Record availability and processing arrangements vary between ACT and NSW authorities.

The report describes the document comparison and its limits. It does not approve building work, replace a building certifier or provide a complete audit against every current planning, access, fire or building requirement. Approval and exemption questions depend on the work, its date and the applicable rules.

A pre-purchase building inspection deals with visible condition and defects. For commercial premises, ask for the records comparison separately when arranging your commercial pre-purchase inspection.

Tell your conveyancer which property is being sold and ask them to confirm the documents required for that transaction. We can then agree the inspection scope and available records. This avoids assuming that one report covers condition, approvals and energy performance.