An Auckland man has been convicted and fined $1,200 plus court costs and solicitors fees for providing information that was intended to cause, or may reasonably have caused, a home owner to think he was a registered or licensed tradesperson. Plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying are regulated industries in New Zealand and it is illegal for anyone to do this work unless they are authorised to do so by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board.

Geoffrey McKenzie of Eden Plumbing Ltd, misled consumers in the Auckland region and created the impression that he was registered or licensed to undertake sanitary plumbing work.

The Board’s Chief Executive, Martin Sawyers said: “The growth in building consent applications is positively impacting the construction sector nationwide, but this is particularly evident in Auckland.” “As a result consumers should be on the lookout for illegal operators. The health and safety risks associated with plumbing carried out by an unauthorised person are serious. Any defective work has the potential to cause disease and serious damage to the property–and may invalidate your insurance.”

All authorised tradespeople are required to carry their current authorisation card. Consumers should ask tradespeople for this card before any work commences. This way they can be assured that the work is being done by an authorised and competent tradesperson.

If a homeowner believes that work has been done by someone who is not authorised, or has concerns about the competency of tradespeople, they can make a complaint to the Board.

Source: scoop.co.nz