$3,000 fine reinforces message
Today’s prosecution in the Hastings District Court reinforces the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board’s message
to landlords and property managers last week, to make sure that they only use authorised tradespeople.
Home handyman, Dennis Rosser was found guilty and sentenced to pay a $3,000 fine, $113 in solicitor’s fees and $130 in
court costs, for conducting restricted sanitary plumbing work without authorisation.
“Restricted plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying work conducted by anyone,
including home handyman service providers, who don’t hold a current licence from the Board is illegal. Unauthorised
people are not only putting public health and safety at risk ¬– they may also be invalidating homeowner insurance
policies”, says Martin Sawyers, Chief Executive for the Board.
A Hastings landlady (the complainant in the case), engaged Mr Rosser to repair a leaking hot water cylinder at her
property.
The restricted sanitary plumbing work undertaken in relation to the leaking hot water cylinder included replacing a 20mm
gate valve and installing a crox tee.
The complainant became concerned sometime after the repairs when unusually high electricity invoices were received.
This made her suspect that the hot water cylinder continued to leak, and subsequently she engaged another contractor
(who was properly qualified).
It was discovered that the work was defective, causing hot water to leak under the house and leaving the area saturated.
“This is one of many cases addressed by the Board where the complainant had simply assumed that the person engaged was
legally authorised to do the work”, Martin continued.
“Tradespeople are required to carry a current authorisation card – and homeowners and property managers should ask to
sight it to protect themselves from any health and safety or insurance risk”.
You can check to see if a person is authorised by searching the online public register at www.pgdb.co.nz or by phoning 0800 743 262. If a homeowner believes that work has been done by someone who is not authorised, or has
concerns about the competency of a tradesperson, they should notify the Board.
Ends
Notes to the editor:
Plumbing, Gasfitting and Drainlaying are regulated industries in New Zealand and it is illegal for anyone to do this
work unless they hold authorisation from the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board.
In 2004 the Defendant applied for a limited certificate to allow him to assist with sanitary plumbing, under the
supervision of a qualified plumber. This certificate expired within 12 months. The Defendant has not ever held any other
authorisation to undertake sanitary plumbing.
The Defendant has previously been prosecuted for similar offending.