SUNGMI KIM/Stuff
An unlicensed builder has been fined for carrying out restricted building work.
An unlicensed builder has been fined more than $11,000 for carrying out restricted building work while suspended.
Richard Barry Dodd faced one charge of carrying out restricted building work while his licenced building practitioner (LBP) licence was suspended, one charge of providing false and/or misleading oral information and one charge of providing false and/or misleading written information at the Kaitaia District Court.
A Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) investigation found Dodd carried out a renovation project while his licence was suspended and misled Auckland Council during their inspection of the building by stating that he was an LBP.
He was also found to have issued a record of work stating that he held an LBP carpentry licence upon completion of the project.
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Duncan Connor, MBIE national manager of occupational regulation, said the LBP scheme ensured consumers could be confident that they were hiring properly trained professionals to carry out or supervise restricted building work.
“I urge anyone engaging a builder to first look them up on the LBP Public Register.
“By being licensed, LBPs are able to promote their professional skills and behaviour in the building industry and show the public and potential clients that they meet a minimum standard of competency in their licensed area.
“MBIE will not hesitate to prosecute individuals that breach the Act, and practitioners seeking to carry out restricted building work should do their due diligence and make sure they are properly licensed before commencing the work.”
Dodd was fined $3279.80 for carrying out restricted building work while unlicensed and ordered him to pay $4880.81 reparation costs and $1000 emotional harm to the homeowner.
He also received a $1000 fine for providing false and/or misleading oral information and a $1000 fine for providing false and/or misleading written information.
Holding a licence allows LBPs to carry out or supervise restricted building work, including important and critical residential building work.
LBPs must keep their licence up to date while carrying out restricted work. Carrying out this type of work without a licence can incur a fine of up to $20,000.
