24 August 2017

Unlicensed builder fined $2,000 for restricted building work without consent

A New Plymouth builder has been fined $2,000 plus court costs for carrying out restricted building work without a building consent, and without being licensed to do so.

A homeowner engaged Mr Corey Ross of C.L. Renovation and Landscaping Ltd to knock down several walls to make a home open plan, and to reclad the exterior. The case against Mr Ross was brought to the New Plymouth District Court by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Occupational Licensing Team, following a complaint from a homeowner.

“The work Mr Ross was engaged to do required a building consent and is restricted building work, meaning it can only be carried out by a licensed building practitioner (LBP),” says Investigations Team Leader Simon Thomas.

“Mr Ross has never been an LBP so was not licensed to carry out the work without supervision of a suitably qualified LBP.

“Despite being asked by the homeowner if he was qualified to undertake the work, Mr Ross completed the restricted building work himself, unsupervised, and without securing a building consent.

“After the work was complete, the homeowner found a leak in the roof following heavy rain. Mr Ross accepted the problem was his fault and agreed to fix it but did not follow through, becoming unresponsive to the homeowner’s calls, leading her to make a complaint.

“The rules around who can carry out restricted building work are there to ensure this critical work is done by practitioners with the skills and knowledge to carry it out safely and to a high standard.

“If you want to do restricted building work, you must be a licensed building practitioner, or be supervised by one,” Mr Thomas says.

Homeowners can check a builder is a licensed on the public register www.lbp.govt.nz

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