Shed construction and owner builders have come under the spotlight of the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) with more than 160 Bendigo region properties investigated.

The proactive compliance program is aimed at ensuring sheds are built in accordance with the Building Regulations 2006 and Building Act 1993. Under the regulations, domestic building work costing more than $5000 must be carried out by a registered builder.

The VBA identified several areas of concern during the inspections:

• Sheds that may not have been built by registered builders or certified owner-builders;
• Practitioners allegedly advising consumers that they need to become owner-builders; and,
• Issues with building signs.

Master Builders has asked the VBA to undertake these types of audits around owner builders to help stamp out unlawful building activity in regional Victoria.

“It is good to see the VBA carrying out this work but concerning to see the level of illegal owner builder activity in the Bendigo region,” Master Builders Association of Victoria CEO, Radley de Silva said.

“More of this type of crack-down on owner-builder activity will help support opportunities for registered builders.”

All sheds inspected were owner-builders who built between January 2012 and January 2014.

The VBA is further investigating the issues identified as part of the program.

“As the industry regulator, it is the VBA’s role to help ensure everyone involved in building work in Victoria complies with the relevant laws and regulations,” VBA CEO, Prue Digby said.