BUILDING COMPLIANCE & ESM AUDITS
UNDERSTAND YOUR BUILDING’S COMPLIANCE OBLIGATIONS BEFORE THEY BECOME A PROBLEM.
Independent building compliance and Essential Safety Measure audits for multi-residential, commercial and industrial buildings throughout Victoria.
Conti Group assists building owners, Owners Corporations, asset managers and facility managers in identifying building compliance issues, Essential Safety Measure obligations and matters requiring further investigation or rectification.
- REGISTERED BUILDING SURVEYORS
- 25+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
- COMPLEX BUILDING COMPLIANCE EXPERIENCE
- VICTORIA-WIDE SERVICE
Compliance Is Not Optional
Owners and Owners Corporations have ongoing responsibilities relating to the safety, maintenance and compliance of existing buildings, including applicable Essential Safety Measure requirements.
Failure to maintain compliance can result in:
- Council enforcement action
- Fines and penalties
- Increased liability exposure
- Issues with insurance, occupation or tenancy
Understanding the building’s existing compliance position is an important part of managing those obligations.
BUILDING COMPLIANCE AUDITS & ESM AUDITS – WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Building Compliance Audit
A broader assessment of an existing building to identify apparent regulatory, documentation, fire-safety, accessibility and building-condition issues that may require further investigation or action.
Depending on the scope, the review may include:
- Building Permits and approved documentation
- Occupancy Permits
- Building classification and use
- Fire and life-safety provisions
- Accessibility
- Existing alterations
- Apparent unauthorised work
- Building defects or deterioration
- Ongoing compliance obligations
Essential Safety Measure Audit
A more targeted assessment of the building’s Essential Safety Measures, associated documentation and maintenance obligations.
This may include review of:
- Essential Safety Measure schedules
- Maintenance records
- Annual Essential Safety Measures Reports
- Fire doors
- Exit signs and emergency lighting
- Fire extinguishers and hose reels
- Fire hydrants
- Sprinkler systems
- Smoke detection and alarm systems
- Mechanical smoke-control systems
- Paths of travel to exits
- Other applicable prescribed safety measures
EXISTING BUILDINGS REQUIRE A STRUCTURED APPROACH TO COMPLIANCE
Multi-residential, commercial and industrial buildings can involve multiple building systems, Essential Safety Measures, historical approvals and ongoing regulatory obligations.
Understanding the building’s existing compliance position can help identify deficiencies early, establish priorities and provide a clearer pathway for managing ongoing obligations.
This service may be relevant to:
- Multi-residential buildings
- Commercial buildings
- Industrial facilities
- Owners Corporation properties
- Multi-storey developments
- Aged care and institutional buildings
- Existing buildings with incomplete or inconsistent records
PRACTICAL BUILDING COMPLIANCE & ESM ADVICE
We can assist with:
- Review of Building Permits and Occupancy Permits
- Review of approved drawings and existing documentation
- Building compliance audits
- Essential Safety Measure audits
- Review of ESM schedules
- Review of maintenance and annual reporting records
- Site inspections
- Identification of apparent deficiencies and compliance risks
- Fire-safety and accessibility considerations
- Identification of unauthorised or undocumented alterations
- Recommendations for further investigation
- Identification of required specialist consultants
- Advice regarding rectification and Building Permit requirements
- Ongoing building compliance strategy
A CLEAR COMPLIANCE AUDIT PROCESS
01 – INITIAL REVIEW
Review the building information, available approvals, existing reports and compliance documentation.
02 – SITE INSPECTION
Inspect the building and relevant Essential Safety Measures where required.
03 – IDENTIFY RISKS & DEFICIENCIES
Identify apparent compliance issues, missing information and matters requiring further investigation.
04 – REPORT & RECOMMENDATIONS
Provide clear findings and practical recommendations regarding the appropriate next steps.
05 – ONGOING COMPLIANCE SUPPORT
Where required, assist with consultant coordination, Building Permit requirements, rectification pathways or further compliance advice.
Who We Work With
- Owners Corporations
- Commercial property owners
- Industrial property owners
- Multi-residential property owners
- Developers and investors
- Asset and property managers
- Facility managers
- Aged care and institutional operators
- Government and institutional property owners
This service is intended for multi-residential, commercial and industrial buildings and is not a general domestic home-inspection service.
IDENTIFY COMPLIANCE ISSUES BEFORE THEY BECOME BIGGER PROBLEMS
Unidentified building compliance or Essential Safety Measure issues can expose owners and managers to enforcement action, financial penalties, liability and problems associated with the continued use or occupation of a building.
Potential consequences may include:
- Council or regulatory enforcement
- Fines and penalties
- Increased liability exposure
- Issues with insurance
- Problems affecting occupation or tenancy
- Unplanned rectification expenditure
A proactive approach can reduce risk, identify deficiencies early and provide a clearer pathway for maintaining ongoing compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
A building compliance audit is an assessment of an existing building and available documentation to identify apparent regulatory, fire-safety, accessibility, building-condition and other compliance issues that may require further investigation or action.
The scope of the audit can be tailored to the particular building and the information required by the owner, Owners Corporation, asset manager or other stakeholder.
An Essential Safety Measure, or ESM, audit reviews the safety measures applicable to an existing building together with relevant schedules, maintenance records and other available compliance documentation.
The audit can assist owners and managers in identifying missing information, apparent deficiencies and matters requiring further investigation or attention.
Essential Safety Measures are building features and systems provided for the safety of occupants and the operation of the building in an emergency.
Depending on the building, these may include fire extinguishers, hydrants, hose reels, sprinkler systems, fire and smoke doors, smoke detection systems, emergency lighting, exit signs, mechanical systems and paths of travel to exits.
The particular ESMs applicable to a building depend on its approvals and regulatory requirements.
Responsibility generally rests with the building owner, and in Owners Corporation properties may involve the Owners Corporation in relation to applicable common-property obligations.
The precise obligations depend on the building, its approvals and the applicable ESM requirements. Owners and managers should ensure relevant measures are maintained and required records and reports are appropriately managed.
There is no single audit frequency appropriate to every building.
Essential Safety Measures themselves are subject to applicable inspection, testing and maintenance requirements, while a broader compliance audit may be undertaken periodically or when concerns arise.
An audit can also be useful following changes to the building, changes in ownership or management, missing records or identification of potential compliance issues.
Where available, useful documentation may include:
- Building Permits
- Occupancy Permits
- Approved drawings
- Essential Safety Measure schedules
- Annual Essential Safety Measures Reports
- Maintenance records
- Fire-safety documentation
- Previous compliance reports
- Building Notices or Orders
- Relevant Council correspondence
If records are incomplete, we can identify the available information and advise what further documentation may need to be obtained.
The next step depends on the nature and significance of the issue identified.
Some matters may require further documentation or investigation, while others may require specialist consultant input, maintenance, rectification works, Building Permit approval or liaison with Council.
Our report can identify the issues observed and provide practical recommendations regarding the appropriate next steps.
Yes.
Where further work is required, Conti Group can provide building surveying and regulatory advice and assist with coordinating the next stage of the compliance process.
Depending on the matter, this may include further investigation, consultant coordination, Building Permit requirements, rectification pathways or other compliance services.
Yes.
We provide building compliance and ESM audits for multi-residential buildings, including apartment buildings and Owners Corporation properties.
This service is not intended to be a general domestic home inspection or pre-purchase house inspection.
Fees depend on the size, classification and complexity of the building, the scope of the audit, the amount of documentation requiring review and the extent of any site inspection required.
Provide us with the property details and available building documentation and we can recommend an appropriate scope and provide a fee proposal.
BOOK A BUILDING COMPLIANCE OR ESM AUDIT
Understand your building’s compliance position, identify potential risks and establish clear next steps. Speak with one of our Registered Building Surveyors about the appropriate audit scope for your property.
