Occupancy Certificates under the Building Act 2011 are
important and failure to obtain one can lead to
significant fines.
In the case of Wildan Properties Pty Ltd v City of
Bunbury 2016 WASC 188 the Supreme Court held that occupancy
permits (occupancy certificates) were very important documents and
a failure to obtain an occupancy whilst continuing to occupy the
building was very serious.
Her Honour Justice Pritchard considered that the point in time
at which an occupancy permit must be sought – being at the
culmination of the building process – was directed at
ensuring that relevant
building standards had been met, "in a streamlined, cost
effective and expeditious fashion; and that members of the public
can have confidence in those standards being observed."
