How to lodge a QBCC complaint — a step-by-step guide for Queensland homeowners

The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) is one of the most powerful building dispute bodies in Australia. If your builder in Queensland won’t fix defects or has abandoned the job, the QBCC can inspect the work, mediate the dispute, and issue a formal direction to rectify — all at no cost to you.

Understanding exactly how the complaint process works — and what to prepare — significantly increases your chances of a successful outcome.

What the QBCC can and can’t help with

The QBCC handles complaints about residential and commercial building work performed under contract in Queensland. For homeowners, the most common complaint types are:

QBCC can help with:

Defects that have appeared during the defects liability period (12 months from practical completion)
Major defects covered by the statutory warranty (up to 6 years for non-structural major defects, 10 years for structural defects)
Incomplete work where the builder has abandoned the job
Work that doesn’t comply with the NCC or Australian Standards
Claims against home warranty insurance if your builder has become insolvent

QBCC generally can’t help with:

Disputes about contract price or variations (these go to QCAT or court)
Work done by unlicensed contractors (though unlicensed contracting is a separate offence)
Disputes about work that isn’t residential building work as defined in the QBCC Act

Before you lodge — what you need

A QBCC complaint is strongest when it’s backed by documentation. Before you lodge, make sure you have:

A written record of the defects — photographs with dates, specific descriptions, and locations. A Checka report gives you all of this in a professional format.
Evidence you notified the builder — emails, text messages, or letters showing you told the builder about the defects and gave them a reasonable opportunity to fix them. Keep every piece of written communication.
Your building contract — including any variations. The QBCC will want to see what was agreed.
Your practical completion date — this determines whether you’re within the warranty period.
Your home warranty insurance certificate — issued before your contract was signed. If the builder becomes insolvent, this is how you make an insurance claim.

If you haven’t already notified your builder in writing, do this first. Send an email listing each defect, referencing your DLP or statutory warranty rights, and give the builder 14 days to respond. Keep a copy of this email — the QBCC will ask whether you gave the builder a chance to rectify before escalating.

Step 1: Lodge your complaint online

Go to qbcc.qld.gov.au and select “Lodge a complaint.” You’ll need:

Your name and contact details
The builder’s name, licence number, and contact details
The address of the building work
A description of the issue
Your contract value and the date of practical completion

You can attach supporting documents including photos, your written notices to the builder, and any response from the builder. Upload your Checka report here — a timestamped photo report carries significantly more weight than informal notes.

The QBCC will send you an acknowledgement within a few days and assign a case officer to your complaint.

Step 2: Initial assessment

The QBCC case officer will review your complaint to determine whether it falls within their jurisdiction and whether the defects are likely to be covered by the statutory warranty.

At this stage, the QBCC may:

Ask for additional information or documentation
Contact the builder for their response
Determine that the complaint is not within QBCC jurisdiction (in which case they’ll advise where to go instead)

If your complaint is accepted, the QBCC typically moves to an inspection.

Step 3: QBCC inspection

This is the most powerful part of the QBCC process. A QBCC building inspector — an independent, qualified professional — will attend your property and assess the defects.

The inspector will:

Review the defects you’ve identified
Assess whether they constitute defects under the QBCC Act
Determine whether they fall within the warranty period
Prepare a formal inspection report

What to do before the inspection:

Make sure all defects are clearly visible and accessible
Have your Checka report printed or available on your phone as a reference
Don’t fix anything yourself before the inspection — the inspector needs to see the original defect
Be present if possible, so you can point out issues and answer questions

The QBCC inspection is at no cost to you.

Step 4: Direction to rectify

If the inspector confirms the defects are within the warranty period and are the builder’s responsibility, the QBCC will issue a Direction to Rectify to the builder.

A Direction to Rectify is a legally binding document. The builder is required to:

Fix the specified defects within the timeframe stated in the direction (typically 45 to 90 days)
Notify the QBCC when the work is complete
Allow the QBCC to re-inspect to confirm rectification

If the builder fails to comply with a Direction to Rectify, the QBCC can:

Suspend or cancel the builder’s licence
Prosecute the builder
In some cases, arrange for the rectification work to be done and recover the cost from the builder

A Direction to Rectify is a powerful outcome. Most builders comply.

Step 5: If the builder fails to comply

If the builder ignores the Direction to Rectify:

Contact your QBCC case officer — notify them in writing that the deadline has passed and the work has not been done.
The QBCC may take disciplinary action — licence suspension or cancellation is a serious consequence for a builder and usually prompts action.
Apply to QCAT — the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal handles building disputes that can’t be resolved through the QBCC process. If the QBCC process has failed, QCAT is the next step.

If your builder is insolvent

If your builder has become insolvent, gone into administration, or died, you cannot get rectification from them. This is when home warranty insurance applies.

In Queensland, home warranty insurance is mandatory for all residential building work over $3,300. The policy is issued in your name before your contract is signed.

To make a claim:

Contact the insurance scheme directly (the QBCC manages this in Queensland — it’s called the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme)
Lodge your claim at qbcc.qld.gov.au/home-warranty
Provide your certificate of insurance, documentation of the defects, and evidence that the builder is no longer available to rectify

Insurance claims are handled separately from QBCC complaints but follow a similar inspection process.

What the QBCC process does not cover

The QBCC does not handle disputes about money — if your dispute is about the contract price, a variation, or you want compensation for consequential loss (alternative accommodation, damaged belongings), you need to go to QCAT or seek legal advice.

The QBCC also cannot force a builder to pay money to you. They can only require defects to be fixed. For financial compensation, QCAT or the District Court (for larger amounts) is the path.

How Checka helps with QBCC complaints

The QBCC process relies heavily on documentation. Your Checka report — with timestamped photographs, specific descriptions, and a clear defects list — is exactly what the QBCC case officer and inspector need.

Specific ways Checka helps:

Timestamped photos prove when you discovered each defect (critical for warranty period disputes)
Professional report format is immediately usable in the QBCC complaint portal
Written record of builder notifications (log these alongside your defects)
Status tracking shows which items the builder has and hasn’t addressed

When you upload your Checka report to the QBCC complaint portal, you’re presenting a clear, professional case rather than an informal list of complaints.

Key Takeaways

The QBCC handles complaints about building defects in Queensland — the process is free and available to all homeowners within the warranty period
Before lodging, notify your builder in writing and give them 14 days to respond — the QBCC will ask whether you did this
The QBCC’s Direction to Rectify is legally binding — builders must comply or face licence suspension
If your builder is insolvent, the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme (managed by the QBCC) provides insurance coverage
For financial compensation or disputes about contract price, the QBCC process doesn’t apply — you need QCAT or legal advice
A timestamped photo-backed defects report from Checka gives your QBCC complaint the strongest possible foundation