Dodgy imported products are being found on building sites across Auckland, including electrical wiring, toughened safety glass shower doors and roofing tiles. The problems come as a severe housing shortage drives a building boom across Auckland that has seen one in three work sites fail council inspections because of shoddy workmanship.

The scale of the problem is unknown but concerns are serious enough to have prompted probes by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Enterprise (MBIE), Auckland Council and the Commerce Commission.

In February, more than $1 billion of residential building work was consented - up 40 per cent on the same period last year.

Auckland Council building control manager Ian McCormick highlighted one case where 100mm waste pipes were sold for $1 a metre, about a tenth of the normal retail price.

In the past year, the council had carried out 134,000 building inspections, of which a third failed.

MBIE determinations and assurance manager John Gardiner said the ministry was working to determine how significant the problem of dodgy materials was.

There had always been background noise and allegations of non-compliant products, he said, but complaints had recently got louder.

As well as products identified by Auckland Council, MBIE had heard about compliance issues with weathertight systems, including membrane products and flashing plates, and a toilet.

Mr Gardiner said MBIE had the power to issue warnings and take disciplinary action against licensed trades people. Only licensed builders could do consented work.

Source: NZHerald