Description

This guidance is for territorial authorities who are developing, maintaining and adopting a policy on dangerous, affected and insanitary buildings.

It may also be useful for other building sector professionals, such as builders and engineers, and for building owners.

This guidance document covers the requirements of the Building Act relating to dangerous, affected and insanitary buildings. It is structured and sequenced to help councils:

• build an understanding of what constitutes a dangerous, affected or insanitary building, and the risks that they pose to people and communities
• understand their roles and responsibilities, and those of building owners
• understand the powers available to them to manage these buildings
• identify the approach that they will take when they are carrying out the functions relating to dangerous, affected and insanitary buildings
• confirm what their priorities are in performing these functions 
• develop, review and adopt policies on dangerous, affected and insanitary buildings that state the approach and priorities, and also confirm how the policy applies to heritage buildings.

The guidance aims to assist councils to comply with sections 131, 132 and 132A of the Building Act. It does this by explaining the requirements, and by outlining some key considerations for councils to think about when developing their own policies.