Albany builder Blair Cole convicted of falsely claiming to be a licensed building practitioner

Blair Cole pleaded guilty in the North Shore District Court to two charges of falsely claiming to be a licensed building practitioner. Photo / Google Street View

An Auckland builder has been fined and ordered to pay reparation after admitting he falsely claimed to be a licensed building practitioner.

Albany-based Blair Cole was convicted of two charges, and fined $5000. He was also ordered to pay court costs and $1296 in reparation.

The case against Cole was brought to the North Shore District Court by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's occupational licensing team.

Team leader Simon Thomas said Cole, who traded as Akoranga Construction Limited, ran numerous ads in local papers falsely claiming to be a licensed practitioner. He also displayed the Licensed Building Practitioner logo on his business card.

"Furthermore, an Orewa homeowner responded to one of these print advertisements, engaging Mr Cole to replace a number of piles under the deck of her house. Mr Cole undertook this work, continuing the guise of a licensed builder.

"The homeowner paid Mr Cole for the job, which remains unfinished."

It is an offence under the Building Act 2004 for a person to claim to be licensed to carry out or supervise restricted building work, while not being licensed, Thomas said.

"This prosecution sends a clear message to the building industry that claiming to be a licensed building practitioner without actually holding such a license is illegal.

"Where [the ministry] has evidence of this occurring, offenders can expect to be prosecuted accordingly."