TERMS & CONDITIONS

Last updated: 04/10/2026

These Terms & Conditions govern the provision of consultancy and advisory services by Repair Consultants Australia ("we", "us", "our") to our clients ("you", "your").

By engaging us, requesting our services, accepting a quotation or proposal, or otherwise instructing us to provide services, you agree to these Terms & Conditions.

If you do not agree to these Terms & Conditions, you should not engage our services.

1. Our Services

We provide independent consultancy and advisory services relating primarily to the repair, reinstatement, management, assessment and coordination of building and property repair works, including works arising following damage to a property.

Depending on the services you engage us to provide, our services may include:

• reviewing repair scopes, building scopes, quotations, reports and other project documentation;

• identifying apparent omissions, inconsistencies or issues within proposed repair scopes;

• providing observations and opinions regarding building repair requirements;

• assisting clients to understand proposed repair works and construction terminology;

• assisting clients to prepare questions or requests for clarification for builders, contractors, assessors or other relevant parties;

• assisting with communication between a client and parties involved in the repair process;

• reviewing proposed repair methodologies from a building or project perspective;

• assisting with proposed project planning and coordination;

• identifying apparent building defects, incomplete works or construction issues;

• assisting with documentation and photographic records of repair works;

• reviewing variations or proposed changes to repair works from a construction/project perspective;

• assisting clients to understand the practical implications of proposed repair works;

• providing general information regarding building practices, construction processes and repair methodologies; and

The precise scope of our services will depend on the quotation, proposal, engagement or other agreement between us.

We reserve the right to decline any request for services that falls outside our expertise, qualifications, authority or lawful scope of operation.

2. Important Limitation – We Are Not Insurance Advisers

We do not provide insurance advice.

Our services are not intended to constitute, and must not be relied upon as, advice regarding an insurance policy, insurance product, insurance cover or insurance strategy.

We do not advise you:

• whether you should purchase or maintain a particular insurance policy;

• which insurer you should use;

• which insurance product is suitable for you;

• whether a particular level or type of insurance cover is appropriate for you;

• whether you are adequately insured;

• whether a particular exclusion, benefit, condition or limitation applies to your insurance policy;

• whether your insurer is required to accept or pay your claim;

• whether your insurer has correctly determined your entitlement under your policy;

• whether you should accept or reject an insurer's offer;

• whether you should settle or discontinue an insurance claim;

• whether you should commence legal proceedings against an insurer;

• what amount you should claim from an insurer; or

• whether an insurance policy, insurer or insurance product is suitable for your personal or financial circumstances.

We do not act as an insurance broker, insurance agent, insurance intermediary or financial adviser.

You are responsible for obtaining your own independent advice regarding your insurance policy, insurance cover and insurance rights.

Where appropriate, we may recommend that you obtain independent advice from a suitably qualified and authorised insurance broker, financial adviser, lawyer or other professional.

3. No Financial Advice

We do not provide financial advice or financial product advice.

We are not authorised to provide personal or general financial product advice unless expressly stated otherwise in writing and supported by the appropriate authorisation.

Our services do not include recommendations or opinions intended to influence your decision regarding a financial product.

Financial products may include insurance products and other products regulated under applicable Australian financial services legislation.

Nothing we say or provide should be interpreted as:

• personal financial advice;

• general financial advice;

• financial product advice;

• investment advice;

• insurance product advice;

• advice regarding the suitability of a financial product;

• advice regarding your financial circumstances;

• advice regarding your financial objectives or needs; or

• a recommendation to acquire, vary, cancel, replace or dispose of a financial product.

ASIC states that financial product advice may arise where a recommendation or statement of opinion is intended to influence, or could reasonably be regarded as intending to influence, a person's decision regarding a financial product. Accordingly, we intentionally limit our services so that our consultancy does not constitute financial product advice.

4. Insurance Claims

Our involvement in a repair project does not mean that we act for, represent or advise you in relation to your insurance policy.

Where we review documents supplied to us, including an insurer's scope of works, repair assessment, quotation, building report or other document, our review is limited to the building, construction, repair or project-management aspects of that document only.

For example, we may identify that:

• a particular repair appears to be missing from a proposed building scope;

• a proposed repair methodology appears inappropriate from a construction perspective;

• additional building work may be required to complete a repair;

• a proposed repair may not appear to address an apparent building defect; or

• a proposed repair may require clarification from the relevant building professional.

Such observations are provided from a building/project perspective only.

They do not constitute advice that an insurer is legally or contractually required to pay for those works.

We do not determine whether a particular item is covered by an insurance policy.

Any determination of insurance coverage, liability, policy interpretation or claim entitlement should be obtained from the insurer, an appropriately authorised insurance professional or an appropriately qualified lawyer.

5. Building and Construction Advice

Our consultancy may include observations and opinions regarding building and construction matters.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, such advice is provided as general consultancy information based on the information available to us at the time.

We do not represent that our advice constitutes:

• structural engineering advice;

• architectural advice;

• building surveying advice;

• legal advice;

• financial advice;

• insurance advice;

• quantity surveying advice;

• certification advice;

• town planning advice;

• electrical advice;

• plumbing advice; or

• any other regulated professional service.

Where a matter requires specialist professional assessment, we may recommend that you engage an appropriately qualified professional.

6. No Legal Advice

We are not acting as your lawyer or legal representative.

Nothing we provide constitutes legal advice.

We do not advise you regarding:

• your legal rights under an insurance policy;

• contractual rights against an insurer;

• contractual rights against a builder or contractor;

• litigation strategy;

• prospects of legal proceedings;

• statutory interpretation;

• legal liability; or

• the interpretation or enforceability of legal documents.

If you require legal advice, you should obtain independent advice from a suitably qualified Australian legal practitioner.

7. Independent Contractors and Professionals

Where a repair project involves builders, tradespeople, engineers, architects, building surveyors, assessors, loss adjusters, insurers, lawyers or other professionals, those parties remain responsible for their own work, advice, decisions and obligations.

We do not warrant or guarantee the work, qualifications, licensing, insurance, financial position, availability or performance of any third party.

Where we refer you to another service provider, that referral does not constitute a representation that the provider is suitable for your particular circumstances.

You remain responsible for deciding whether to engage any third party.

8. No Guarantee of Insurance Outcome

We do not guarantee:

• that an insurer will approve a repair;

• that an insurer will increase a repair allowance;

• that an insurer will pay for additional works;

• that a claim will be accepted;

• that a claim will be paid in full;

• that an insurer will agree with our observations;

• that a builder will agree with our recommendations;

• that a particular repair outcome will be achieved; or

• that you will receive any particular financial outcome.

Any estimates, opinions or observations we provide regarding repair requirements are based on the information reasonably available to us at the relevant time.

9. Information Provided by You and Third Parties

Our advice and consultancy may rely on information supplied by you or third parties.

This may include:

• insurance documents;

• scopes of works;

• building reports;

• photographs;

• quotations;

• invoices;

• engineering reports;

• correspondence;

• emails;

• plans;

• specifications;

• assessments;

• documents provided by insurers; and

• information provided by builders, contractors or other professionals.

We are entitled to assume that information provided to us is accurate and complete unless we have reasonable grounds to believe otherwise.

We are not responsible for consequences arising from inaccurate, incomplete, misleading or outdated information supplied to us.

Where we identify an apparent inconsistency or issue, we may bring it to your attention, but we are not required to independently verify every piece of information supplied to us.

10. Client Responsibility

You remain responsible for all decisions made in relation to your property, repair project, insurance claim and contractual relationships.

You are responsible for:

• providing accurate information;

• providing relevant documents;

• reviewing information supplied by us;

• obtaining independent professional advice where appropriate;

• making decisions regarding your property and repair project;

• obtaining required approvals and permits;

• ensuring that contractors are appropriately engaged;

• entering into contracts with builders and other contractors; and

• paying insurers, builders, contractors and other service providers as required.

Our recommendations do not remove or transfer these responsibilities to us.

11. Authority to Communicate With Third Parties

If you ask us to communicate with a builder, contractor, insurer, assessor or other third party on your behalf, you authorise us only to the extent expressly agreed between us.

Unless expressly agreed otherwise:

• we do not have authority to enter contracts on your behalf;

• we do not have authority to settle or compromise a claim;

• we do not have authority to accept or reject an insurer's offer;

• we do not have authority to make binding legal commitments on your behalf; and

• we do not have authority to make financial decisions on your behalf.

You remain responsible for confirming and approving any significant decision.

12. Documents and Reports

Any report, assessment, scope review, written opinion or other document prepared by us is prepared for the client and purpose for which it was commissioned.

Unless expressly agreed in writing, our reports must not be:

• represented as engineering reports;

• represented as legal advice;

• represented as insurance advice;

• represented as financial advice;

• represented as certification;

• relied upon by a third party as professional advice; or

• reproduced or distributed for another purpose without our written consent.

We reserve the right to identify the intended purpose and intended recipient of any report we prepare.

13. Estimates and Opinions

Any estimates regarding costs, timeframes, quantities, repair requirements or project outcomes are indicative only unless expressly identified as a fixed quotation.

Construction costs and repair requirements may change due to:

• concealed conditions;

• site conditions;

• material availability;

• labour availability;

• changes in legislation or building requirements;

• changes requested by the client;

• variations;

• additional damage;

• changes in scope; or

• information that becomes available after our assessment.

We do not guarantee that any estimate will reflect the final cost of repair.

14. Fees and Payment

Our fees will be communicated to you before or at the commencement of the relevant services wherever reasonably practicable.

Depending on the engagement, fees may be calculated by:

• fixed fee;

• hourly rate;

• project fee;

• staged fee;

• percentage-based fee; or

• another agreed pricing structure.

Invoices are payable within the period specified on the invoice.

We may suspend further services where an invoice remains unpaid after its due date.

Any suspension of services will not relieve you of liability for fees already incurred.

15. Additional Services

If you request services outside the original agreed scope, we may:

• provide a separate quotation;

• charge for the additional services at our applicable rates; or

• decline the additional work.

We will endeavour to notify you before incurring significant additional fees.

16. Cancellation and Termination

Either party may terminate an engagement by providing reasonable written notice, subject to any specific agreement between us.

If you cancel services after work has commenced, you remain responsible for fees reasonably incurred for services performed up to the effective date of cancellation.

We may terminate or suspend services where:

• invoices remain unpaid;

• you provide materially inaccurate or misleading information;

• you request services outside our lawful or professional scope;

• continuing to act would create a conflict of interest;

• continuing to act may expose us to regulatory or legal risk;

• you engage in abusive, threatening or inappropriate conduct; or

• we reasonably determine that we can no longer provide the services appropriately.

Termination does not affect rights or obligations that accrued before termination.

17. Confidentiality

We will take reasonable steps to keep confidential information provided to us confidential, except where disclosure is:

• authorised by you;

• required by law;

• reasonably necessary to provide our services;

• required to obtain professional advice;

• necessary to protect our legal rights; or

• made to a person reasonably involved in providing our services.

18. Privacy

We may collect, use and store personal information reasonably required to provide our services, communicate with you, administer our business and comply with legal obligations.

We will handle personal information in accordance with applicable Australian privacy laws and our Privacy Policy.

Our Privacy Policy forms part of our website terms where applicable.

19. Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise agreed, all intellectual property created by us in providing our services remains our property, subject to any rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.

Once our fees relating to a particular deliverable have been paid in full, we grant you a non-exclusive licence to use that deliverable for the purpose for which it was prepared.

You must not commercially reproduce, sell, licence or distribute our reports, templates, systems or other intellectual property without our written consent.

20. Website Information

Information published on our website is provided for general informational purposes only.

Website information does not constitute:

• legal advice;

• financial advice;

• financial product advice;

• insurance advice;

• building certification;

• engineering advice; or

• advice specific to your individual circumstances.

You should obtain appropriate professional advice before making decisions that require specialist or regulated advice.

We endeavour to keep website information accurate and current but do not warrant that all information is complete, accurate or current at all times.

21. Third-Party Websites and Information

Our website may contain links to third-party websites or resources.

We do not control or endorse third-party websites and are not responsible for their content, accuracy, availability, privacy practices or services.

Your use of third-party services is subject to the terms applicable to those services.

22. Consumer Guarantees

Nothing in these Terms & Conditions is intended to exclude, restrict or modify any right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded, restricted or modified under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), including the Australian Consumer Law, or any other applicable law.

Where the Australian Consumer Law applies, our services will be provided in accordance with the consumer guarantees applicable to those services.

If a provision of these Terms & Conditions would otherwise exclude, restrict or modify a non-excludable right, that provision will apply only to the maximum extent permitted by law.

23. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, we will not be liable for loss or damage arising from:

• decisions made by you or third parties;

• actions or omissions by insurers;

• actions or omissions by builders or contractors;

• workmanship performed by third parties;

• inaccurate information supplied to us;

• concealed or unknown site conditions;

• changes to building requirements;

• delays caused by third parties;

• denial or reduction of an insurance claim;

• an insurer's interpretation of an insurance policy;

• decisions made by an insurer, assessor or loss adjuster; or

• circumstances outside our reasonable control.

Nothing in these Terms & Conditions excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.

To the extent permitted by law, our liability for services supplied to a consumer may be limited in circumstances where the law permits such limitation, including where a statutory limitation of liability is validly available to us.

24. No Reliance on Our Services as Professional Advice

Our services are intended to assist clients with understanding and managing the repair and construction aspects of a property repair project.

Our services should not be treated as a substitute for advice from appropriately qualified professionals.

Depending on the circumstances, you may need to obtain independent advice from:

• a lawyer;

• insurance broker or appropriately authorised insurance professional;

• financial adviser;

• engineer;

• architect;

• building surveyor;

• quantity surveyor;

• accountant;

• licensed builder or tradesperson; or

• another appropriately qualified professional.

You are responsible for determining whether such advice is required.

25. Conflicts of Interest

We will take reasonable steps to identify actual conflicts of interest that may affect our ability to provide services objectively.

We may decline to act where we consider that a conflict cannot reasonably be managed.

Where appropriate, we will disclose relevant conflicts to you.

26. No Guarantee of Outcome

Our role is to provide independent consultancy and assistance within the agreed scope.

We do not guarantee a particular:

• insurance outcome;

• claim outcome;

• repair scope;

• construction outcome;

• settlement amount;

• project timeframe;

• project cost;

• dispute outcome; or

• financial result.

27. Force Majeure

We will not be responsible for delays or failure to perform services caused by circumstances outside our reasonable control.

This may include:

• natural disasters;

• extreme weather;

• government action;

• changes in law;

• illness;

• industrial disputes;

• technology failures;

• telecommunications failures;

• widespread supply shortages; or

• other circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

28. Dispute Resolution

If you have a complaint or dispute regarding our services, you should first contact us in writing and provide reasonable details of the issue.

We will endeavour to investigate and respond to the complaint within a reasonable period.

Nothing in this clause prevents either party from exercising a statutory right or seeking urgent legal relief where appropriate.

29. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms & Conditions from time to time.

The version applicable to your engagement will generally be the version in effect when you engage us, unless otherwise agreed.

Any material changes to an ongoing engagement will be communicated to you where required by law.

30. Severability

If any provision of these Terms & Conditions is held to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, that provision will be read down or severed to the extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will continue to operate.

31. Governing Law

These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of Victoria, Australia.

You and we submit to the jurisdiction of the courts and tribunals exercising jurisdiction in Victoria, subject to any applicable statutory rights.

32. Entire Agreement

These Terms & Conditions, together with any quotation, proposal, engagement letter or other written agreement between us, constitute the agreement between you and us regarding the relevant services.

If there is an inconsistency between these Terms & Conditions and a specific written engagement, the specific written engagement will prevail to the extent of the inconsistency.

33. Client Acknowledgement

By engaging our services, you acknowledge that:

1. our services are primarily concerned with the repair, construction and project-management aspects of property repairs;

2. we are not providing insurance advice;

3. we are not providing financial or financial product advice;

4. we are not advising you whether an insurance policy or insurance product is suitable for you;

5. we are not determining whether your insurance claim is covered under your policy;

6. we are not providing legal advice;

7. you remain responsible for decisions regarding your insurance claim and property;

8. you may obtain independent professional advice where appropriate; and

9. our services do not guarantee any particular insurance, financial, construction or repair outcome.

34. Important Notice

Our consultancy is independent of your insurer unless expressly stated otherwise in writing.

We do not represent your insurer, and our engagement by you does not create an agency, employment or representative relationship between us and your insurer.

Our role is to assist you with the building, repair and project aspects of your property repair.

We do not provide insurance, financial or legal advice.

If you require advice concerning your insurance policy, insurance coverage, financial circumstances or legal rights, you should obtain advice from an appropriately qualified and authorised professional.