48NTribunal may have regard to certain building reports

48N Tribunal may have regard to certain building reports

48N Tribunal may have regard to certain building reports

(1) In determining a building claim, the Tribunal may have regard to, but is not bound by, any report prepared by an inspector by whom any matter giving rise to a building dispute has been investigated under Division 2 (before an application was made for determination of the building claim).

(2) The inspector may be called to give evidence in proceedings before the Tribunal only by the Tribunal (and not by either party to the building claim).

(2A) The Tribunal may appoint an independent expert, from a panel of experts approved by the Chairperson of the Tribunal, to advise the Tribunal as to any matter that the Tribunal refers to the expert for advice.

(2B) In any proceedings for which an independent expert has been appointed under subsection (2A), no party may call any other expert to give evidence in the proceedings, or tender any report prepared by any other expert, except by leave of the Tribunal.

(2C) Subject to any order of the Tribunal, the costs of an independent expert appointed under subsection (2A) are to be borne by the parties in equal proportions.

(2D) Anything done or omitted to be done by an independent expert under this Division does not, if the thing was done or omitted to be done in good faith for the purposes of this Division, subject the expert personally to any action, liability, claim or demand.

(3) Nothing in this section prevents a party from cross-examining an inspector or expert called under this section.

s 48N: Ins 2001 No 51, Sch 4 [1]. Am 2002 No 134, Sch 2.1 [9]–[12].