Skip to content
Lokal Match
Get quotes
Basement Waterproofing

Can I take my builder straight to VCAT in Victoria?

Researched by the LokalMatch editorial team1 answer

The waterproofing has failed twice, the builder has stopped replying, and I am ready to lodge.

Answers (1)

  1. LokalMatch EditorialLokalMatch editorial

    Not straight there, no. If the dispute involves a home owner and is about carrying out domestic building work or a domestic building contract, it has to go to Domestic Building Dispute Resolution Victoria before VCAT will take it.

    What VCAT needs to see is one of a short list of documents: a certificate of conciliation, a rejection letter, a confirmation of complaint letter, a dispute resolution order, or a notice of breach of a dispute resolution order. Without one of those, the application does not get off the ground.

    There is a single exception worth knowing about, and it exists for emergencies: you do not need to go through the dispute resolution service first if you are applying for an injunction.

    Plan for the step rather than resenting it. Conciliation can end with a binding order to fix the work, which is faster and cheaper than a hearing — and the file you assemble for it is the same file you would need at VCAT anyway. Photographs, the contract, the payment record, and an independent report on the waterproofing.

Answers come from pros and are reviewed by LokalMatch before they’re published. They’re general information — for regulated or safety-critical work, have a licensed professional assess your situation.

Sources

Where the facts on this page come from.

  1. Building and construction: domestic building involving a home owner — Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (accessed 24 September 2026)