Building Warrant of Fitness
A Building Warrant of Fitness (WOF) is a legal document which confirms the owner has complied with the original Compliance Schedule for the building issued by council. Like your car, a building is required to undergo an inspection every 12 months to ensure it still meets the required standard and a WOF is issued by the owner to the presiding council.
The New Zealand Building Act 2004, requires owners of commercial buildings that have one or more of the 13 specified systems to be maintained and certified in accordance with the buildings Compliance Schedule. Some of these systems could include fire sprinklers, fire alarms, emergency lighting, air-conditioning or access control systems.
Ensuring your commercial building complies is a legal responsibility for any building owner. Brian Read is a registered Independent Qualified Person (IQP) and can assist you to ensure your buildings comply with the New Zealand Building Act 2004.
The inspection and maintenance of the specified systems is required to ensure compliance. Facility Operations can organise maintenance to be completed by one of our trusted service contractors or utilise your existing service contracts.
We will do the heavy lifting to make sure your building complies with the building act leaving you to focus on running your business.
Contact us today, we provide a free proposal containing a full scope of work and cost structure to our clients.
FAQs
This is a legal document signed by the owner which confirms the building complies for the previous 12 month period with the original Compliance Schedule issued by council.
All commercial buildings with one or more of the 13 specified systems will require a building Warrant of Fitness.
A building Warrant of Fitness is a document signed by the building owner that confirms all the systems within the Compliance Schedule have been fully maintained for the previous 12 month period.
A Compliance Schedule is a document issued by council which outlines all specified systems that have to be maintained in accordance with the building act.
An IQP is a person registered by council, qualified to undertake the inspection and maintenance of one or more of the specified systems within commercial buildings. Examples include lifts, sprinkler systems, emergency lighting, and access control systems.
This certificate is signed by the IQP servicing the specific systems within the building and forms part of the building Warrant of Fitness documentation required by council.
The building owner or owners agent can undertake some inspections for compliance with their Building Warrant of Fitness. However a number of specified systems can only be inspected and maintained by an IQP. All other systems inspected by the owner must be checked by an IQP at least annually prior to the issue of the warrant of fitness.
| SS1. Automatic systems for fire suppression. (Sprinkler system) | SS2. Automatic or manual emergency warning systems. (Fire alarms) |
| SS3. Electromagnetic or automatic doors or windows. | SS4. Emergency lighting systems. |
| SS5. Escape route pressurisation systems | SS6. Riser mains for use by fire services. |
| SS7. Automatic backflow preventers | SS8. Lifts, escalators, travellators for people or goods. |
| SS9. Mechanical ventilation or air conditioning systems. | SS10. Building maintenance units. |
| SS11. Laboratory fume cupboards. | SS12. Audio loops or other assistive listening systems |
| SS13. Smoke control systems. | SS14. Emergency power systems |
| If one or more of the above systems are present the following systems or features need to be included. | |
| 14/2. Signage relating to systems 1 to 13. | 15/1. Systems for communicating spoken information intended to facilitate evacuation |
| 15/2. Final exits. | 15/3. Fire separations. |
| 15/4. Signage to facilitate evacuation. | 15/5 smoke separations. |
| SS 16. Cable cars. This is required for any cable car that is attached to all services a building including residential buildings. | |
Yes. Owners must maintain inspection and maintenance record for a minimum of two years and the building Warrant of Fitness must specify where these records are located for any possible audit by council. Please note we provide an inspection and maintenance register to our clients which is renewed annually.