Most seismically vulnerable buildings are not imminently dangerous and can remain occupied while seismic remediation work is planned, funded and undertaken, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) advises The new seismic risk guidance has been developed by MBIE to help building owners and users understand seismic assessments and provide them with the tools to make informed and risk-based decisions about continuing to occupy buildings with low seismic ratings. Continue →

Work undertaken by unauthorised people, not only risks your health and safety – but may also invalidate your insurance policy, says PGDB Chief Executive Martin Sawyers Owner and director of 5 Star Plumbing Ltd, Michael Mullany, was sentenced to a $6,000 yesterday at the Auckland District Court for doing restricted plumbing work with an employee, without a current licence. Continue →

What is an earthquake-prone building, what are your responsibilities as a building owner and what support is there available? Continue →

In a move to reduce the risk of fire, the Victorian Government in Australia has banned the use of certain external wall cladding products – should New Zealand follow suit? Continue →

Fire equipment maintenance is an essential service that must continue regardless of the pandemic, Wormald Australia CEO Andrew Lee is reminding business and property managers While the nation is in lock down to minimise the spread of COVID-19, there is still the need to maintain essential services. Continue →

With many tenants now unable to access their premises due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, commercial property landlords could be hit with ‘no access’ lease clauses, warn leading property and legal experts The most common standard form of commercial property lease in New Zealand, the Auckland District Law Society (ADLS) Deed of Lease, includes a ‘no access in emergency’ clause. Continue →

Due to the spread of COVID-19 and the new lockdown laws, new restrictions now apply to the New Zealand rental market according to myrent.co.nz We are receiving are a lot of questions from both landlords and tenants around the topic of property viewings, moving house, and starting tenancies during the four-week lockdown period. Continue →

Fifty years ago, newly-built assets seemed to have little difficulty in meeting the full term of their lifespan Today however, ongoing problems of poor design details and lengthy remediation of building defects are issues with which the whole industry continues to struggle. Continue →

At least two Auckland high-rise buildings have been clad with combustible panels similar to those implicated in London’s Grenfell Tower disaster The Auckland council has declined to say which buildings are affected, but does say they are privately-owned and the material is being replaced with fire-proof cladding. Continue →