Please note!
If you have submitted an application, DBDRV will carry out an initial assessment of the application before contacting you. The time this takes will vary depending on the nature, extent and complexity of the dispute
We offer a flexible and tailored service for resolving domestic building disputes between parties. Our nationally accredited Dispute Resolution Officers will facilitate the conciliation and assist the parties to come up with ways to resolve their dispute. For more information, view our About us page.
Who can apply
- Building owners
- Builders
- Sub-contractors
- Architects
- Engineers engaged in the building industry
Other building practitioners such as surveyors and draftpersons are also eligible to apply.
Types of disputes we can help resolve
- Defective or incomplete building work
- Delays
- Issues with payment
- Issues about the domestic building contract
Before you apply
You must have made reasonable attempts to resolve your dispute with the other party before you apply to DBDRV. For more information please view our Tips to help you resolve your dispute page.
Eligibility checklist
For your dispute to be eligible for our service, it must:
- not relate to just one of following types of work – plumbing, painting, plastering, tiling, insulating, glazing, concreting, installing floor coverings, electrical work, or fencing (that does not require a permit) – that is not part of a contract also covering other types of building work
- involve the building owner
- not be the subject of a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) proceeding, currently or previously (limited exceptions apply)
- not relate to building work that is more than 10 years old, and
- be about domestic (residential) building work including construction, renovation, alteration, extension, demolition, improvement or (some) repairs to a home.
For more information about disputes which are not eligible for our service, see our Ineligible disputes page.
If we cannot assist with your dispute, view our Other helpful services page.
Applying directly to VCAT
If your dispute is eligible for our service, you must apply to resolve your dispute through us before applying to VCAT, except if:
- You lodged your dispute with Building Advice and Conciliation Victoria (BACV) prior to 26 April 2017.
- You need to apply for an injunction to immediately stop the other party from doing something, or make the other party do something immediately.
For more information on applying directly to VCAT, visit the Domestic Building Claims page on the VCAT website.