54What is a domestic building dispute?

54 What is a domestic building dispute? (1) A ***domestic building dispute*** is a dispute or claim arising— (a) between a building owner and— (i) a builder; or (ii) a building practitioner (as defined in the **Building Act 1993**); or (iii) a sub-contractor; or S. 54(1)(a)(iv) amended by No. 26/2019 s. 134(1)(a). (iv) an architect; or S. 54(1)(a)(v) inserted by No. 26/2019 s. 134(1)(b). (v) an engineer engaged in the building industry— in relation to a domestic building contract or the carrying out of domestic building work; or (b) between a builder and— (i) another builder; or (ii) a building practitioner (as defined in the **Building Act 1993**); or (iii) a sub-contractor; or S. 54(1)(b)(iv) amended by No. 26/2019 s. 134(2)(a). (iv) an insurer; or S. 54(1)(b)(v) inserted by No. 26/2019 s. 134(2)(b). (v) an engineer engaged in the building industry— in relation to a domestic building contract or the carrying out of domestic building work; or S. 54(1)(c) amended by Nos 69/2006 s. 221(a), 26/2019 s. 134(3)(c). (c) between a building owner or a builder and— (i) an architect; or S. 54(1)(c)(ii) amended by Nos 26/2019 s. 134(3)(a), 13/2024 s. 3(Sch. 1 item 3.2). (ii) a building practitioner registered under the **Building Act 1993** as a building designer; or S. 54(1)(c)(iii) inserted by No. 26/2019 s. 134(3)(b). (iii) an endorsed building engineer within the meaning of the **Professional Engineers Registration Act 2019**— in relation to any design work carried out by the architect, endorsed building engineer or building practitioner in respect of domestic building work; or S. 54(1)(d) inserted by No. 69/2006 s. 221(b). (d) between a lot owner or an owners corporation and an initial owner (within the meaning of section 68 of the **Owners Corporations Act 2006**) of land in a plan of subdivision in relation to an obligation imposed on the initial owner under section 68(2) of the **Owners Corporations Act 2006**. (2) For the purposes of subsection (1), a dispute or claim includes any dispute or claim in negligence, nuisance or trespass but does not include a dispute or claim related to a personal injury. (3) A reference to a building owner in this section includes a reference to any person who is the owner for the time being of the building or land in respect of which a domestic building contract was made or domestic building work was carried out. S. 55 (Heading) inserted by No. 15/2016 s. 10(3). S. 55 amended by No. 15/2016 s. 10(2).