Or…   have you recently refurbished, altered or extended your investment property in the past financial year?

Or…   do you own an investment property but have never claimed depreciation in the past?

Or…   own any property including commercial, retail, industrial, residential, pubs, clubs, sporting – we are experts in them all.

If your answer is yes to any of these questions then you may very well be paying too much tax on your income if you don’t claim your depreciation deductions.

Property tax allowances (commonly known as depreciation) provide an opportunity for owners of income producing property to reduce their taxable income, thus reducing the tax payable.

Napier & Blakeley was the first Australian company to provide specialist property depreciation services with dedicated in-house specialists to identify all available deductions throughout the life cycle of your asset.

Don’t waste any more of your money, request a quote today or contact us to get advice on how a depreciation schedule can strengthen the return on your investment putting more money in your pocket.

We at N&B are here to help.  Please do not hesitate to contact one of our trusted advisors for further assistance.

	MELBOURNE John Mathew Director  m. 0414 559 326 e.  jmathew@napierblakeley.com		MELBOURNE Coco Williams Senior Consultant m. 0408 933 660  e.  cowilliams@napierblakeley.com
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	BRISBANE KY Pih Associate  m. 0408 933 660  e.  kpih@napierblakeley.com		SYDNEY Peter Osborn Director m.  0457 001 545   e.   posborn@napierblakeley.com

MELBOURNE
Rob Howells, Managing Director |  0437 649 082  |  rhowells@napierblakeley.com
Peter Frith, Director  |  0437 649 082  |  pfrith@napierblakeley.com
Craig Smith, Director |  0407 371 664  |  csmith@napierblakeley.com
Ian Gardner, Associate Director  |  0488 225 569  |  igardner@napierblakeley.com

SYDNEY
Alastair Walker, Director  |  0419 503 289  |  awalker@napierblakeley.com
Peter Hammond, Director  |  0419 980 901  |  phammond@napierblakeley.com
Stephen Cooke, Associate Director  |  0409 228 552  |  scooke@napierblakeley.com

BRISBANE
Adam Greene, Associate Director  |  0409 724 395  |  agreene@napierblakeley.com
Paul Cosker, Associate Director  |  0434 400 107  |  pcosker@napierblakeley.com
Gavin Peach, Associate Director  |  0412 225 781  |  gpeach@napierblakeley.com

PERTH
Graham Rigby, Associate Director  |  0419 847 998  |  grigby@napierblakeley.com 
Jorden Morris, Quantity Surveyor  |  0457 001 545  |  jmorris@napierblakeley.com

Did you know

As an example, the Property Council of Australia Guide to Office Building Quality recommends office buildings have Lifecycle Expenditure Forecasts in place as follows:

Over our 35 years in service we have developed extensive experience in the preparation of independent Lifecycle Capital Expenditure Forecasts. We have also amassed technical property and construction cost data which can be used for quick and cost-effective benchmarking.  As part of our service provision we have developed in-house online solutions that generate Lifecycle Capital Expenditure Forecasts from new or existing Asset Registers.

The solution also provides online storage for key documentation such as plans, specifications, operation/maintenance manuals and warranties related to the individual assets or building.  All report data is available for consumption on a client-dedicated website.

If you would like to talk to us further about Lifecycle assessments, or if you have any questions on this topic, please contact us now:

MELBOURNE
Rob Howells, National Director  |  0437 649 082  |  rhowells@napierblakeley.com
Ian Gardner, Associate Director  |  0488 225 569  |  igardner@napierblakeley.com
Coco Williams, Senior Building Consultant  |  0418 348 712  |  cowilliams@napierblakeley.com

SYDNEY
Stephen Cooke, Associate Director  |  0409 228 552  |  scooke@napierblakeley.com

BRISBANE
Gavin Peach, Associate Director  |  0412 225 781  |  gpeach@napierblakeley.com

PERTH
Graham Rigby, Associate Director  |  0419 847 998  |  grigby@napierblakeley.com

Did you know…

And through our further success in negotiating Make Good settlements we have found that most of the errors we see in Make Good assessments by the opposing party relate to the building services.

Napier & Blakeley directly employ building services engineers as part of our Make Good assessment team to provide accurate and defensible cost estimates.

If you would like to talk to us further about Make Good assessments, or if you have any questions on this topic, please contact:

NATIONAL Rob Howells National Director o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0437 649 082 e.  rhowells@napierblakeley.com	BRISBANE Gavin Peach Associate Director o.  07 3221 8255 m. 0412 225 781 e.  gpeach@napierblakeley.com
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MELBOURNE Ian Gardner Associate Director o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0488 225 569 e.  igardner@napierblakeley.com	SYDNEY Stephen Cooke Associate Director o.  02 9299 1899 m. 0409 228 552 e.  scooke@napierblakeley.com
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MELBOURNE Coco Williams Senior Building Consultant o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0418 348 712 e.  cowilliams@napierblakeley.com	PERTH Graham Rigby Associate Director o.  08 6244 1877 m. 0419 847 998 e.  grigby@napierblakeley.com
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Did you know that your building contains a very significant amount of IT and communications infrastructure that needs frequent updating and renewal?

And did you know that there are significant cost implications for building owners associated with the introduction of the 5G network?  

While the capital cost of existing infrastructure has typically been borne by the telecommunications provider, capital works required to make a building “5G ready” will rest with the building owner, who is frequently not aware of the requirements and has not adequately budgeted for them.

To assist in managing and budgeting for these imminent and ultimately unavoidable capital upgrades, we can provide:

• A risk awareness review on IT systems, cyber security etc  for BMS, Fire Detection, Access Control, CCTV, Wi-Fi services, Energy metering;
• A review of existing mobile telecommunications installations to determine required upgrades to enable 5G readiness;
• Advice relating to removal of redundant infrastructure (and where possible provide advice as to who is responsible for this work);
• A lifecycle review to remove, replace and upgrade infrastructure, or alternatively prepare an upgrade pathway for upgrade works over a 3 to 5 year period;
• Preparation of a tax depreciation assessment for the upgrade works.

We have in house engineers who have significant experience in this field.  If you would like further information, or would like us to assess your properties contact Ian Gardner below or anyone else in our Transaction & Asset Advisory team:

NATIONAL Rob Howells National Director o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0437 649 082 e.  rhowells@napierblakeley.com	MELBOURNE Ian Gardner Associate Director o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0488 225 569 e.  igardner@napierblakeley.com
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BRISBANE Gavin Peach Associate Director o.  07 3221 8255 m. 0412 225 781 e.  gpeach@napierblakeley.com	SYDNEY Stephen Cooke Associate Director o.  02 9299 1899 m. 0409 228 552 e.  scooke@napierblakeley.com

MELBOURNE Coco Williams Senior Building Consultant o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0418 348 712  e.  cowilliams@napierblakeley.com	PERTH Graham Rigby Associate Director o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0419 847 998                         e.  grigby@napierblakeley.com .

That building owners are required to hold copies of all regulatory documentation? 

And did you know that building owners in Victoria must provide regulatory compliance documentation histories for buildings to Building Surveyors within 7 days of request, but these documents have often never been sighted (or have been lost) by building owners and / or their Agents?

While this is a common issue, failure to hold regulatory documentation and poor record keeping typically results in significant non-compliances associated with both ongoing regulatory maintenance and ‘Management in Use’ requirements.  The longer these non-compliances are left unattended, the more expensive they are to fix, and the further non-compliant they become.

If non compliance is linked to injury, then the building owner is seriously exposed to potential criminal investigation.

Now is a good time to catch up on this housekeeping.

To assist in addressing this issue, we provide State / Territory based:

• Desk top reviews of available regulatory documentation;

• Statutory documentation searches through relevant authorities;

• Gap analyses of available documentation and current maintenance and management regimes, together with recommended assessments and / or upgrades with the view to meeting compliance requirements;

• A database document management solution, purpose built for building owners and managers, with simple operational and search functions.

If you would like further information, or would like us to assess your properties, please contact us now:

NATIONAL Rob Howells National Director o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0437 649 082 e.  rhowells@napierblakeley.com	BRISBANE Gavin Peach Associate Director o.  07 3221 8255                        m. 0412 225 781 e.  gpeach@napierblakeley.com

MELBOURNE Ian Gardner Associate Director o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0488 225 569 e.  igardner@napierblakeley.com	SYDNEY Stephen Cooke Associate Director o.  02 9299 1899 m. 0409 228 552 e.  scooke@napierblakeley.com
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MELBOURNE Coco Williams Senior Building Consultant o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0418 348 712  e.  cowilliams@napierblakeley.com	PERTH Graham Rigby Associate Director o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0419 847 998                         e.  grigby@napierblakeley.com

Did you know that tenant fitouts and other work can significantly impact on the level of performance and compliance of your building? 

Tenancy Fitout Guidelines can be used to streamline and control fitout works ensuring clarity of requirements and expectations for incoming and exiting tenants.

All too often we carry out assessments on properties for owners, or prospective owners, and discover that tenants have installed new or additional fitout works, with limited to no oversight by the building owner and / or their agent.

Examples of recurring problems we find with tenant fitouts:

• They are carried out with assistance of lease incentives; but works are incomplete or defective;
• They compromise the capacity of base building services to provide adequate conditions, serviceability and compliance;
• They compromise adjacent tenancies where services are shared;
• They compromise essential services (fire protection, smoke exhaust, evacuation systems, fire ratings and penetrations);
• They cause changes to essential services that are undocumented, are not commissioned correctly and do not provide the required baseline information for ongoing regulatory maintenance;
• They cause unapproved removal of base building assets;
• They are incorrectly certified, and / or have incomplete permits issued.  This is a particularly prevalent currently in Victoria.

In instances where fitout works are carried out with required permits, there are still many issues that can arise, that could be avoided through the provision and policing of a detailed Fitout Guideline.

We have staff who are experienced in preparing Fitout Guidelines, and associated management and compliance reviews.

If you require further information, or would like assistance in preparing a Fitout Guideline, please contact us now:

NATIONAL Rob Howells National Director o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0437 649 082 e.  rhowells@napierblakeley.com	BRISBANE Gavin Peach Associate Director o.  07 3221 8255 m. 0412 225 781 e.  gpeach@napierblakeley.com
MELBOURNE Ian Gardner Associate Director o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0488 225 569 e.  igardner@napierblakeley.com	SYDNEY Stephen Cooke Associate Director o.  02 9299 1899 m. 0409 228 552  e.  scooke@napierblakeley.com
MELBOURNE Coco Williams Senior Building Consultant o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0418 348 712   e.  cowilliams@napierblakeley.com	PERTH Graham Rigby Associate Director o.  08 6244 1877 m. 0419 847 998 e.  grigby@napierblakeley.com

Did you know… that inspections during the Defects Liability Period (DLP) are not mandatory?

Defects that occur to your assets during DLP can negatively impact performance and the level of compliance.

Defects commonly traverse building structure and cladding, fire protection systems, waterproofing, as well as vital life-safety systems.

Engaging an independent consultant to assess construction defects prior to and during the DLP provides owners with the facts needed to address with their builders before the DLP ends.

Napier & Blakeley have staff with extensive experience in defects reporting, please contact any of the following:

NATIONAL Rob Howells National Director o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0437 649 082 e.  rhowells@napierblakeley.com	BRISBANE Gavin Peach Associate Director o.  07 3221 8255 m. 0412 225 781 e.  gpeach@napierblakeley.com
MELBOURNE Ian Gardner Associate Director o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0488 225 569 e.  igardner@napierblakeley.com	SYDNEY Stephen Cooke Associate Director o.  02 9299 1899 m. 0409 228 552  e.  scooke@napierblakeley.com
MELBOURNE Coco Williams Senior Building Consultant o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0418 348 712   e.  cowilliams@napierblakeley.com	PERTH Graham Rigby Associate Director o.  08 6244 1877 m. 0419 847 998 e.  grigby@napierblakeley.com

But we’re open for business, and we’re here to help!

With the sudden amount of business closures and surrendering of commercial leases, there are many things Landlords need to address and co-ordinate to manage costs, risks, and maximise return.

For example:-

Independent Make Good Assessments

‘Make Good’ obligations are unlikely to be met by Lessees where leases are surrendered or determined due to financial distress, however engagement of independent assessments by Landlords are recommended to provide a basis for Landlord insurance claims and / or claims against receivers and managers of a distressed Tenant.

Maintenance of Systems required in Fire and Emergency

Maintenance of fire safety systems is required to be carried out regardless of whether property is occupied or vacant.  While the Tenant may have been managing these services during occupation, where assets have been abandoned and / or surrendered, Landlords need to ensure maintenance continues in accordance with regulatory requirements which vary by State.  Failure to meet these obligations could result in a disaster and significant loss. It may also impact on a Landlord’s ability to claim against their insurance policies.

Routine Maintenance and Energy

It may seem logical to shut down base building plant during unoccupied periods, however in certain circumstances, continued operation and routine maintenance of non-essential base building plant can be a less costly option.  Independent cost-benefit assessments are recommended to help identify potential cost savings through risk prevention in these circumstances.  If your building is partially occupied there are ways to minimise your central plant energy consumption servicing unoccupied areas.

Issues surrounding maintenance of structures and fabric during vacant periods is equally important as maintaining building plant.

Ongoing inspections and early attendance to defects associated with structures and fabric is paramount, particularly in the wetter months where water and wind related damage can be prevalent.  If left unattended initial minor issues can result in serious and costly damage not only to the building structure and fabric, but also indoor air quality, making the asset unfit for occupation.

To manage risk and reduce costs associated with unattended damage, monthly inspections of vacant areas is recommended.

Independent Condition Assessments

In preparation of lease renewal, Independent Condition Assessments are essential to provide the basis for condition to mitigate future disputes regarding make good obligations.  The independent document can be signed by both parties and attached to the Lease.

Refurbishment Opportunities

Unplanned vacancies provide the opportunity to carry out base building upgrade works that are typically disruptive and / or impossible during occupation.  These works include, for example, removal of hazardous materials, lobby and amenity upgrades, HVAC and lift upgrades, common area painting, etc.

Base building upgrades during vacant periods provides many cost benefits through improved accessibility, and of course the risk of rent abatement and health and safety claims by tenants is removed.

Tax Write Offs

Where tenant fitout has been abandoned, and of no value to the Landlord, assessments to enable disposal / write off of the assets may apply.

Biocleaning

Where positive cases of COVID-19 have been reported by Occupants of commercial tenancies, biocleaning may be required.  Given the rapid changes in the strategies and management of the virus, it is important that Landlords ensure that their cleaning strategies are in line with current guidelines.

If you would like further advice on any of the above, please contact:

Coco Williams o.  03 9915 6361 m. 0418 348 712 e.  cwilliams@napierblakeley.com

Or any of the following:

MELBOURNE Rob Howells National Director o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0437 649 082 e.  rhowells@napierblakeley.com	BRISBANE Gavin Peach Associate Director o.  07 3221 8255 m. 0412 225 781 e.  gpeach@napierblakeley.com
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SYDNEY Stephen Cooke Associate Director o.  02 9299 1899 m. 0409 228 552 e.  scooke@napierblakeley.com	PERTH Graham Rigby Associate Director o.  03 9915 6300 m. 0419 847 998 e.  grigby@napierblakeley.com

Based in Melbourne and working with our national teams, Coco will add further value to both our property development and asset advisory services – with particular focus on compliance, strategic asset management and client relationships.

Previously, Coco has worked for an international Quantity Surveying firm, laterally specialising in technical due diligence reporting, feasibility analyses, replacement cost assessments, tax depreciation assessments, capital expenditure forecasts and sinking fund reviews, for owners of large public and private property trusts, portfolios as well as development clients.

Coco also has extensive experience working for a large Building Surveying firm, focusing on building compliance reporting, essential safety measures assessments and client relationships for a range of owners and property types, including universities, large hospitals, government portfolios, public private partnerships assets, multi-storey residential, commercial, retail and industrial.

Over her career of nearly 25 years, Coco has developed an intimate knowledge of property markets and the industry, having worked with many major consultants and owners of large private and publicly owned assets.

Coco will work closely with all parts of our business, adding value to:

• risk management and building compliance;
• strategic asset management;
• technical due diligence and development monitoring;
• lifecycle assessment and capex planning; and
• client relationships;

m. 0418 348 712
e.  cowilliams@napierblakeley.com
a.  L13, 90 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000