Master Plumbers Welcomes Cabinet Approval Of Self-Certification For Plumbers And Drainlayers

Master Plumbers is pleased the Government is progressing with a self-certification scheme that makes plumbers accountable for their work, rather than relying on council inspectors.

"We have been advocating for years that plumbers and drainlayers should be able to self-certify, just as gasfitters - who are also plumbers in most instances - and electricians can," Master Plumbers Chief Executive Greg Wallace says.

Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk announced today that the Government has agreed on a new self-certification scheme for plumbers and drainlayers allowing them to sign off on their own work.

The new scheme does come with some caveats: it will be opt-in and limited to plumbers and drainlayers carrying out work on simple residential dwellings. Trades that are currently able to self-certify are not required to opt-in or be restricted to a specific category of work.

"For plumbers and drainlayers to be competitive, we believe all of the industry should opt-in," Mr Wallace says. "While the Minister has limited the scheme to simple residential dwellings, we hope this is the first phase and that, in future, it will expand to all work."

"Ultimately, we want the same system as electricians and gasfitters, but we understand this may be a staged approach."

Mr Wallace says there’s a common misconception that liability moves to Building Consent Authorities (BCAs) once an inspection has been completed. "The reality is that tradespeople are still accountable for their workmanship. Under the Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers Act, qualified plumbers and drainlayers are responsible for all work - including large-scale industry installations."

Plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers are overseen by an independent regulatory board, the PGDB. Consumers can have confidence that certified plumbing professionals are highly skilled and their work completed to a professional standard. It takes seven years to obtain the qualification of a Certifying Plumber and two years for a Certifying Drainlayer.

In addition, Master Plumbers members are subject to a rigorous quality assurance process and carry a guarantee for their work.

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