The government’s proposed shake-up of New Zealand’s building consent system will be the biggest reform in the sector since 2004. Essentially, the changes will spread liability for building failures across all involved parties, reducing the potential risk faced by councils granting those consents.
At present, homeowners can claim the full cost of repairs from any one party, but councils often end up paying when builders collapse financially. Under the new model, each party will pay only for its share of the problem.
