Plumbing industry regulators plan to step up random checks of Auckland building sites because of problems with unlicensed operators.

The Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board does regular random sweeps of workplaces and "invariably" finds unlicensed tradespeople on the job, chief executive Martin Sawyers said. It was a problem throughout the country, and the board worked closely with local councils.

It was running a consumer campaign to urge property owners to "ask for the card" - the licence card that everyone authorised to undertake plumbing, gasfitting or drainlaying work must carry.

The board's comments follow concerns from Auckland Council about work practices on construction sites around the city. Both authorities believe the building boom is causing the trade to cut corners.

"We suspect (it's) because of the pressure, with the amount of work that needs to be done," Sawyers said.

The board was seeing a variety of problems, from tradespeople who were not qualified to do a certain piece of work, right through to those with no qualifications at all. In particular doing gasfitting work without the proper authority was a major risk, he said.

Source: stuff.co.nz