Public health and safety is of utmost importance. For building owners and managers in Auckland, if your building has one or more of the specified systems, you are required to submit a Building Warrant of Fitness (BWOF) and maintain this compliance standard on a yearly basis.
BWOF Basics
When a building is built in the Auckland District, the local council will issue 3 important documents with regards to the state of the building- this is the Code Compliance Certificate (CCC), followed by a Compliance Schedule and lastly, a Compliance Schedule Statement. After 12 months, this will be then replaced by a Building Warrant of Fitness (BWOF) or the Form 12.
You must then properly display your current BWOF and placed in a visible area where anyone can see it. This can be at your building’s entrance, reception lobby or front desk.
All this BWOF talk is not meant to intimidate you. It is a necessary provision to protect public safety and meet performance standards. This is all thanks to the Building Act 2004 which provisions cover all NZ areas such as Auckland.
But why all the fuss over a Building Warrant of Fitness (BWOF)? What does it entail?
In Auckland, a Building Warrant of Fitness (BWOF) is a council certificate issued that attests that the building has complied with NZ performance standards, that all of the building’s specified systems have been duly inspected by IQPs (Independent Qualified Person). Moreover, the specified systems have been maintained and are functioning properly in accordance with the compliance schedule, and this has been carried out for the last 12 months.
As an Auckland property owner, handling BWoF requirements on your own can be a challenge. The requirements are very cut and dry. You need someone knowledgeable in BWOF and Compliance Schedule requirements working alongside you to give you the proper advice.
Is this something you can learn on your own? Yes, maybe. But this will require a great deal of time and effort on your behalf. And time is something we always don’t have as compliance issues tend to get complicated over time.
Advantages of Working with Fireco
Working with licensed professionals for technical advice will be your best bet on securing your BWOF.
Here at Fireco, you can consult with us and we can help you on BWOF matters as we have a network of professional contacts from contractors and IQPs. We can coordinate with them and let them know about the particulars of your specified systems and what needs to be carried out.
We are reliable, competent and with the utmost sense of agency when it comes to all things BWOF.
Our goal is for you to achieve your compliance schedule requirements on time, so you can meet your compliance standards and stay operational. By staying on target, you will avoid penalties, legal liabilities, and costly fines. More importantly, you are doing your part in keeping all occupants of your building safe and protected.
As the leading fire safety expert and compliance specialists in Auckland, you can trust us to get things started. Fireco can help you stay on schedule when it comes to specialist IQP inspections required for your specified systems. Reach your target Auckland BWOF goals today!
Call us today at 0800 101 232 about your Auckland BWOF concerns or email us at info@fireco.co.nz to assist you
