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Health / accommodation businesses

Guidelines for opening a health business.

 

New Public Health and Wellbeing Act premises

Environmental Health & Local Laws are responsible for registering prescribed accommodation premises. These include the following;

  • B&B’s that accommodate 6 or more people
  • Hotel & Motel
  • Rooming House
  • Caravan Parks
  • Hostels
  • Student Dormitories

A number of steps are involved before a Prescribed Accommodation premise can be registered.

  1. Plans drawn to scale of 1:100 are to be submitted to Environmental Health & Local Laws for assessment accompanied with the Plans Approval Form and appropriate fee. These plans should include the proposed layout and dimensions of all rooms, beds, bathrooms and the finishes to walls, ceilings and floors.
  1. Environmental Health & Local Laws can be contacted during the construction process for advice. The Environmental Health Officer will conduct the final inspection prior to trading to ensure that all works comply with the requirements of the Public Health & Wellbeing Regulations 2009.
  1. Before Registration can be granted the final inspection must be completed and the “Application to Register” form and registration fee must be forwarded to Environmental Health & Local Laws.

Note: The premise is not to commence trading until the final inspection, and all required paperwork have been satisfactorily completed.

Helpful information can be found in our health and wellbeing act newsletter

 

    Health Renewals

    All current Public Health & Wellbeing Act registrations will expire on 31 December 2011. All premises/businesses will be receiving their 2012 Renewals by the end of October 2011. If you have not received your renewal by mid November 2011 please contact 5434 6333 or email Please remember to submit your completed and signed renewal application form on payment.

     

    Purchasing an existing Public Health and Wellbeing Act premises

    If you are considering purchasing an existing Health business, you can request an inspection and report detailing all outstanding orders on the property. Requests for an inspection and report must be made to Environmental Health and Local Laws in writing and the appropriate fee paid. A consent form must be signed by the current proprietor to allow the release of the report.

    Environmental Health and Local Laws do not indicate who is responsible for outstanding orders in a transfer report. However, the new licencee will be responsible for all outstanding items after a Certificate of Transfer of Registration has been issued. The responsibility for outstanding works detailed in any transfer report is a matter for the vendor and new proprietor to negotiate during the settlement process.

    Before a transfer of registration can be granted, an application to transfer must be lodged with Environmental Health and Local Laws and the appropriate fee paid.

    New proprietors who commence trading without transferring the premises registration are committing an offence under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008. This may lead to enforcement action being taken by Council.

    If you choose to purchase an existing business without requesting an inspection and report, you will be responsible for all outstanding orders on that property.

    Please note that a Certificate of Transfer of Registration cannot be issued until:

    • an inspection of the premise has been conducted.
    • an application form has been lodged and the appropriate fee paid.

    Please Note: New fees effective as of the 1st of July every year.

    Useful websites

    Caravan parks

    The Residential Tenancies (Caravan Parks and Movable Dwellings Registration and Standards) Regulations 2010 came into effect on 27 June 2010.
    The Regulations provide for the health and safety of park users. It also set standards for the construction of park cabins. It does not cover the manufacture of caravans or campervans which, as road vehicles, have separate standards.

    Key changes

    • Improved standards for fire prevention and safety which require caravan park owners to have up-to-date fire safety measures
    • Updated emergency management planning requirements in case of emergencies such as bushfires, floods and severe storms - requiring caravan park owners to update or improve their emergency management plans
    • Improved construction standards for new movable dwellings including minimum energy efficiency requirements and referencing the Building Code of Australia for the relevant technical specifications for unregisterable movable dwellings
    • Extension of the caravan registration period from one to three years

    Application forms

    Useful websites

    Residential Tenancies (Caravan Parks and Movable Dwellings Registration and Standards) Regulations 2010

    Updated: 5:03 PM, 24 October 2011