Unauthorised Man Fined $7,500 For Posing As Plumber

• Santini Renney sentenced for falsely advertising as a plumber
• Sentenced under the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act 2006
• Fined $7,500, ordered to pay costs, and $3,770.74 to the property owner

Santini Renney was fined $7,500 in the Taupō District Court yesterday on charges of unlawfully completing sanitary plumbing work and falsely advertising himself as a plumber, when he has never held registration in New Zealand.

Mr Renney moved to New Zealand from South Africa in 2019. In September 2019, Mr Renney enquired with the Board about the requirements for becoming a plumber in New Zealand, stating that he had been a plumber in South Africa. Mr Renney was told he would need to have his South African qualification assessed and that he would need to pass an exam to become a registered plumber in New Zealand. Mr Renney did not do this.

In early 2023, Mr Renney started a business in Tūrangi and advertised his plumbing services on 16 different Taupō community Facebook pages. Under the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 2006, it is an offence to use words or titles relating to plumbing that may cause someone to believe a person is a registered or licensed plumber when they are not. On 6 July 2023 the Board wrote to Mr Renney and advised him to remove all advertising, which he did.

In April 2023 a Tūrangi homeowner saw Mr Renney’s business advertised on a community Facebook page and contacted him about their leaking hot water cylinder. Mr Renney went to the property and replaced the hot water cylinder. That night it began leaking from three joints, the wetback and solar heating unit did not work, and there was a banging noise coming from the installation. Mr Renney returned to the property to remediate the work, but the issues were not resolved.

The homeowner called another plumbing company to check the work. A certifying plumber inspected the work, identifying a number of issues, and checked the public register discovering Mr Renney was not a registered plumber. The certifying plumber then contacted the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board.

Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board Chief Executive Aleyna Hall said she was pleased the property owner was awarded reparation but was disappointed Mr Renney was knowingly working in his community under false pretences.

“Mr Renney knew the steps he had to take to get registered in New Zealand but didn’t follow those. He risked the health and safety of his community in Taupō by carrying out plumbing work while he was not authorised to do so.”

“It is really important to ask for the name and licence number of the tradesperson and check the register to see what work they are authorised to do.”

Ms Hall says the fine sends a warning to those working unlawfully in the industry.

“A high-profile sentencing draws attention to those working unlawfully in the industry. The Board’s number one priority is protecting public health and safety and one of the ways we do this is by ensuring those who work unauthorised are held to account.”

When considering Mr Renney’s sentence, Judge Hollister-Jones agreed with the Board’s submission that the public is vulnerable, especially given that homeowners often need plumbers on short notice. His Honour found that Mr Renney’s ongoing representations, particularly after he had been contacted by the Board, and the nature of what he represented, elevated the seriousness of the offending.

Details of the case

• Mr Santini Renney advertised plumbing services on at least 16 community Facebook pages in the Taupō area and completed sanitary plumbing work on a Tūrangi property, without being authorised to undertake sanitary plumbing work.
• Judge Hollister-Jones sentenced Mr Renney on four charges of being an unlicensed or unregistered person, using, causing, or permitted to be used, in connection with any business or trade, any written words or titles that are intended to cause or may reasonably cause any other person to believe that the person using them is so registered or licensed and one charge of unauthorised sanitary plumbing.
• The court ordered Mr Renney to pay a fine of $7,500, costs, and $3,770.74 reparation to the property owner.
• Check a plumber, gasfitter or drainlayer is licensed to do the work
• Notify the Board about unauthorised work

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