10. Fitout maintenance
Agencies are responsible for the maintenance and repair of office fitout in office accommodation that they occupy unless specifically agreed otherwise between the agency and the Department of Energy and Public Works (EPW).
Maintenance of special (non-standard) equipment or building services provided for, or by, the occupying agency is the responsibility of that agency. Examples of special (non-standard) items include supplementary air conditioning units, dedicated fire-safety systems, occupier-specific security systems, additional power supplies and supplementary lighting systems.
In certain circumstances, EPW will agree to assume maintenance responsibility for such equipment with a reasonable rental adjustment to reflect the cost of maintaining that equipment.
Data and communications cabling forms part of fitout. Occupying agencies are responsible for the management and maintenance of data and communications cabling, including removing it as part of make-good obligations when agencies vacate occupancies.
Office equipment (computers, network servers, audio-visual equipment, photocopiers, printers, facsimile machines and the like) is not included in the definition of office fitout and is wholly the responsibility of the agency that acquired that equipment.
Relamping of the standard lighting systems in government-owned office buildings normally will be carried out every 6 years as part of the building maintenance program. Occupying agencies must replace lamps, tubes and starters that fail between relamping cycles. Please refer to the Occupancy agreement for government accommodation between the Department of Housing and Public Works and agencies .
Tenant agencies are responsible for the maintenance of their fitout in private-sector leased buildings unless lease conditions specifically state otherwise. Maintenance of other building items within the occupancy, such as the periodic repainting of core and external walls, is normally the responsibility of the occupying agency during the term of the lease but will be specified in the lease conditions. The replacement of lamps, tubes and starters is dealt with in each lease agreement, and typically, occupiers must replace isolated failed lamps, tubes and starters, etc, but the building owner is responsible for complete relamping if required.
The adequacy of lighting in private-sector leased space will be specifically addressed by EPW during negotiations for new leases or lease renewals in these buildings to ensure that lighting meets government standards and applicable codes.
Please contact EPW for details of specific lease conditions.