Planning and Development Department Permits and Inspections Division 1 Centennial Square Victoria, BC V8W 1P6 T 250.361.0344 F 250.385.1128 Permits and Inspections Policy Letters of Assurance for Tenant Improvement Work July 25, 2013 This bulletin is intended to provide some clarification to the requirements of letters of assurances (LOAs) and owner s authorization form for tenant improvement permits, especially for shopping malls. Original Documents: All permit documentation should bear original signatures photocopies are not acceptable. Where there are difficulties in getting the original LOAs or owner s authorization form at the time of permit application, a scanned copy is acceptable as a place holder, and the originals can be mailed in or submitted later on in person. Understanding there could be an issue logistically to get the original signatures all on one document, the signed originals can come from separate sources, as long as they are all original signatures. The City will not issue a building permit until all originals received. The Coordinating Registered Professional (CRP) should ensure the building permit number is on all the LOAs if they are sent in from different sources so that we can attach them to the right file. Owner s Authorization Form and Owner s Authorized Agent: As of January 1, 2013 all building permits must be accompanied by an owner s authorization form. For the shopping malls, the owner under the owner s authorization form is the mall owner s representative, not the leasing tenant. For other types of buildings, it is the building owner or the signing authority of the management company that signs the owner s authorization form; again, not the leasing tenant. The owner can name the tenant as the authorized agent for the purposes of application for the building permit for the tenant improvement work. After which the tenant must then be the applicant for the building permit. Should the applicant be the CRP, then the owner must name the CRP to be the authorized agent under the owner s authorization form for the purposes of the building permit application. Both types of agency engagement are acceptable to the City. Some architects may not be able to act as the owner s authorized agent; they are advised to consult with their insurance companies for this role. Where LOAs are required: Under the Guide to the Letters of Assurance, tenant improvement work where there are structural, mechanical, electrical or sprinklers/fire suppression changes require signed Schedule Bs by the responsible registered professional (RP). Specifically for sprinklers, it is common practice to have an annotated copy of the Schedule B with Performance Specs included as the sprinkler design/changes are not known at the building permit stage. This is acceptable, as long as a subsequent Schedule B without annotation, along with sealed plans and the hydraulic calculations, are received later on as part of the plumbing permit. With this bulletin is an attached sample Schedule A and B with annotations on the copy to show where some of the common applicable items should be signed off on the schedules, and a clean copy of the Schedule A and B for use. Reference documents for this bulletin: Guide to Letters of Assurance in the BC Building Code 2006: http://www.bccodes.ca/2006guideloa.pdf Owner s authorization form: http://www.victoria.ca/assets/departments/planning~development/permits~inspections/ Application~Forms/Owners%20Authorization%2007.31.2012_form.pdf Should more information be needed, please email permits@victoria.ca Avy Woo Avy Woo Chief Building Official Policy #BLDG2013-04 City of Victoria PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS POLICY LETTERS OF ASSURANCE FOR TENANT IMPROVEMENT WORK
SAMPLE FOR TENANT IMPROVEMENT PERMITS [CRP*] City of Victoria e.g. ABC Store XYZ Mall Unit XXX XXXX Main Road Victoria, BC <date of signing> <Name>
[should be same as page 1] [Print Name] Business Address (PROPERTY OWNER) [Print Name of Company] Business Address [Print Name] Signing Date [Original Signature] [date] If the property owner has appointed the leasing tenant as an agent under the owner s authorization letter, then the tenant can sign as owner in the above. Tenant would then be reqired to be the applicant.
City of Victoria Should be same as Schedule A } Both coordinated by the CRP. Should be same as Schedule A Provide hand written initials where applicable. [initials] CRP s initials show that the LOAs are sent back to CRP to coordinate. [ ]
S/B same as Schedule A fill out [print name] business address [name of firm] CRP s initials show that the LOAs are sent back to CRP to coordinate. [ ]
For interior TI permits, items highlighted are most likely to be applicable. [initials] Cross off other non-applicable items and initial. CRP s initials show that the LOAs are sent back to CRP to coordinate. [ ]
CRP s initials show that the LOAs are sent back to CRP to coordinate. [ ]
BRITISH COLUMBIA BUILDING CODE 2012 SCHEDULE C-A Forming Part of Subsection 2.2.7, Division C of the British Columbia Building Code ASSURANCE OF COORDINATION OF PROFESSIONAL FIELD REVIEW Building Permit No. (for authority having jurisdiction s use) Notes: (i) This letter must be submitted after completion of the project but before the occupancy permit is issued, or a final inspection is made, by the authority having jurisdiction. (ii) This letter is endorsed by: Architectural Institute of BC, Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC, Building Officials Association of BC, and Union of BC Municipalities. (iii) In this letter the words in italics have the same meaning as in the British Columbia Building Code. To: The authority having jurisdiction Name of Jurisdiction (Print) Re: Name of Project (Print) Address of Project (Print) Legal Description of Project (Print) (The coordinating registered professional shall complete the following:) Name (Print) Address (Print) sc Phone No. I hereby give assurance that (Professional s Seal and Signature) Date (a) I have fulfilled my obligations for coordination of field review of the registered professionals required for the project as outlined in Subsection 2.2.7, Division C of the British Columbia Building Code and in the previously submitted Schedule A, CONFIRMATION OF COMMITMENT BY OWNER AND BY COORDINATING REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL, (b) I have coordinated the functional testing of the fire protection and life safety systems to ascertain that they substantially comply in all material respects with (i) the applicable requirements of the BC Building Code and other applicable enactments respecting safety, not including construction safety aspects, and (ii) the plans and supporting documents submitted in support of the application for the building permit, (c) I am a registered professional as defined in the British Columbia Building Code. (If the registered professional is a member of a firm, complete the following:) I am a member of the firm and I sign this letter on behalf of the firm. (Print name of firm) Note: The above letter must be signed by a coordinating registered professional, who is also a registered professional. The British Columbia Building Code defines a registered professional to mean (a) a person who is registered or licensed to practise as an architect under the Architects Act, or (b) a person who is registered or licensed to practise as a professional engineer under the Engineers and Geoscientists Act. 1 of 1 CRP s Initials
BRITISH COLUMBIA BUILDING CODE 2012 SCHEDULE C-B Forming Part of Subsection 2.2.7, Division C of the British Columbia Building Code Building Permit No. (for authority having jurisdiction s use) ASSURANCE OF PROFESSIONAL FIELD REVIEW AND COMPLIANCE Notes: (i) This letter must be submitted after completion of the project but prior to final inspection by the authority having jurisdiction. A separate letter must be submitted by each registered professional of record. (ii) This letter is endorsed by: Architectural Institute of B.C., Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of B.C., Building Officials Association of B.C., and Union of B.C. Municipalities. (iii) In this letter the words in italics have the same meaning as in the British Columbia Building Code. To: The authority having jurisdiction Name of Jurisdiction (Print) Re: Discipline (e.g. Architectural, etc.) (Print) Name of Project (Print) Address of Project (Print) (Each registered professional of record shall complete the following:) Name (Print) Address (Print) Phone No. (Professional s Seal and Signature) Date I hereby give assurance that (a) I have fulfilled my obligations for field review as outlined in Subsection 2.2.7, Division C of the British Columbia Building Code and in the previously submitted Schedule B, ASSURANCE OF PROFESSIONAL DESIGN AND COMMITMENT FOR FIELD REVIEW, and (b) those components of the project opposite my initials in Schedule B substantially comply in all material respects with (i) the applicable requirements of the B.C. Building Code and other applicable enactments respecting safety, not including construction safety aspects, and (ii) the plans and supporting documents submitted in support of the application for the building permit, (c) I am a registered professional of record as defined in the British Columbia Building Code. (If the registered professional of record is a member of a firm, complete the following:) I am a member of the firm and I sign this letter on behalf of the firm. (Print name of firm) Note: The above letter must be signed by a registered professional of record, who is a registered professional. The British Columbia Building Code defines a registered professional to mean (a) a person who is registered or licensed to practise as an architect under the Architects Act, or (b) a person who is registered or licensed to practise as a professional engineer under the Engineers and Geoscientists Act. CRP s Initials 1 of 1