Previous determinations

Determinations are made by MBIE on matters of doubt or dispute to do with building work. Rulings are legally binding, but only in relation to each case.

Previous determinations may provide some useful guidance for those faced with similar problems, but note that individual circumstances may vary.

You can also search for Determinations on Building CodeHub

Find a determination

Applying filters will narrow down your search results

Find a determination

Search results

142 Determinations match your query
Show detailed results

2017/079: Decision to issue notice to fix for building work

This determination concerns a return wall to a retaining wall built under a building consent; the return wall encroaches over the owners’ boundary into a neighbouring property.  The authority issued a notice to fix in respect of the return wall, as it is of the view it was a built without first obtaining an amendment to the consent.  The determination considers whether the notice to fix was correctly issued, and whether the return wall was a major or minor amendment to the building consent.

About this document

2017/062: Grant of a building consent with a section 37 certificate for a house

This determination considered whether the authority’s decision to grant a building consent with an attached section 37 certificate that did not include a planning noncompliance that was not identified in the certificate. The determination also considers whether the authority could place a section 37 tag on the building work after the building consent had been issued.

About this document

2017/037: Refusal to issue code compliance certificates for a 13-year-old house with brick and weatherboard claddings, and a swimming pool

This determination considers the authority’s decision to refuse to issue the code compliance certificates for the 13-year-old house and the swimming pool. The determination discusses the authority’s refusal to inspect the building work and whether there was sufficient evidence of compliance in order to issue the code compliance certificates.

About this document

2017/026: Notice to fix issued in respect of a commercial laundromat

This determination was sought by the authority in regards to whether a notice to fix was correctly issued to the designer as a specified person, and whether the sprinkler system is a specified system for the purpose of the compliance schedule and building warrant of fitness.  The determination also considers the compliance of particular features of the building, and discusses the various contraventions listed in the notice to fix.

About this document

2017/024: Conditions on a consent for independent construction monitoring and certification in regard to recladding of apartments

This determination considers whether there was sufficient information provided in the building consent application and available to the authority as part of its own inspections, without the independent construction monitoring and certificate for the cladding system, to allow the authority to be satisfied on reasonable grounds that the building work woudl comply with the relevant clauses of the Building Code if the building work was carried out in accordance with the plans and specifications.

About this document

2025/024: An authority's decision to issue a notice to fix in relation to a unit and wastewater disposal system has been issued

This determination considers a notice to fix issued for building work carried out without first obtaining a building consent, in contravention of section 40 of the Building Act.

The determination discusses the particulars required in a notice to fix for a section 40 contravention.

About this document

2025/015: Refusal to issue a code compliance certificate for a 27-year old house due to concerns around compliance with BC clauses B2 and E2

The authority has refused to issue a code compliance certificate for building work carried out pursuant to building consent because it is not satisfied that the cladding system that formed part of the building work complied with clauses B2 and E2 of the Building Code at the time it was constructed.

The authority’s formal refusal letter, when read together with an accompanying email referring to the reasons for refusal, had provided sufficient reasons for refusing to issue the code compliance certificate. 

About this document

2016/054: Regarding the decision to issue a code compliance certificate in respect of earthquake repairs to a house

This determination considers a request by the authority to reverse its decision to issue a code compliance certificate; the authority became aware that the building work was not compliant with the building consent or with the Building Code. The determination discusses the scope of the authority's powers in respect of withdrawing code compliance certificates, and concludes that this can only be done through a determination.

About this document

2024/072: Refusal to issue a code compliance certificate due to outstanding producer statements

This determination considers an authority’s refusal to issue a code compliance certificate due to outstanding producer statement documentation. The determination considers the reasons the authority gave for the refusal.

About this document

2024/065: The authority’s decision to make changes to a building consent after the building consent had been issued.

This determination concerns an authority’s decision to re‐issue a building consent, adding a condition for natural hazard notification under section 73, after it had already issued a building consent for the same building work.

The determination considers whether the authority had the power to re‐issue the building consent.

About this document

This information is published by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Chief Executive. It is a general guide only and, if used, does not relieve any person of the obligation to consider any matter to which the information relates according to the circumstances of the particular case. Expert advice may be required in specific circumstances. Where this information relates to assisting people: