New Zealand’s Building Industry Authority will decide the fate of the country’s independent certifiers (building inspectors) in the next few days by deciding whether to reject or accept a weather-tightness insurance clause proposed by major Auckland local body Manukau City Council.

The council, on behalf of private certifiers, proposed an exemption clause for insertion into insurance policies that would reassure independent certifiers renewals of licenses by the BIA. Building certifiers are required to have insurance that meets the BIA’s standards before they are approved as certifiers.

Some NZ insurers have been excluding cover to certifiers for weather-tightness. Insurance companies have also recently inserted strict exemptions into policies that have resulted in the BIA no longer renewing independent certifiers’ licences as they come up for renewal.

A1 certifiers, a company which was forced to close its doors last month, approached the council for help along with other certifiers after being told by the BIA they could no longer continue to inspect buildings.

“Having independent certifiers go under one by one will cripple the building industry,” Manukau Mayor Sir Barry Curtis said. “All building work would reasonably be expected to slow down or stop.”

A working party set up by Sir Barry has proposed is an exemption clause for insertion into insurance policies that would reassure the BIA and insurance companies while continuing to allow certifiers to operate.