Managing buildings

Commercial, public and multi-unit residential building manager responsibilities.

Building managers play an important role in ensuring commercial, industrial, public, communal and multi-unit residential buildings are safe, healthy and durable. Unlike detached dwellings, certain extra rules can apply to these types of buildings, related to their use or any extra risk factors.

As well as meeting annual Building Warrant of Fitness requirements, building managers need to be aware of building work and upgrade requirements, ensure the building is structurally sound and understand their role following an emergency.

If you are a building manager (or employee or tenant acting on behalf of a building owner) you should understand the building owner's rights and obligations, as well as your contractual agreement.

Building owner rights and obligations

Forms for building maintenance management

There are prescribed forms you must use to manage the safety of your building.

Canterbury rebuild

As part of the government's support for long-term recovery in Canterbury following the earthquakes sequence, we have produced homeowner and technical guidance.

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: