richms:I get that. I really do. But it's an insurance thing i'm sure. Liability needs to land somewhere when someone gets hurt. Especially if the property has been on-sold many times. With the Act in place, there is at least some lines drawn in the sand. That being said, designers/builders liability doesn't last for the life of a building anyway, so *shrug*
I still find the whole idea they are called consents or permits to be disgusting. Having to ask permission to build on your own land is BS.