Building practitioners banned for disreputable behaviour

Building practitioners Zi Xiang Lin and Steven Morrow were found to have brought the trade into disrepute. Photo/123RF.

Two licensed building practitioners (LBPs) have had their licences cancelled for bringing the licencing authority into disrepute.

The Building Practitioners Board handed down sanctions against Hamilton-based Zi Xiang Lin (alias Jiew Chong) and Steven Morrow.

Chong was found to have used a false name and identity and made a false declaration in order to obtain his LBP licence. He had been convicted of a serious criminal offence involving deliberate deceit and this continued when he sought an LBP licence.

The Board cancelled Chong's license, with a stand-down period of five years before he can reapply for licensing. He has also been made to pay costs towards his inquiry.

In the second case, Morrow had his licence cancelled after being imprisoned for two years for offences under the Tax Administration Act.

"The Board determined that carrying out or supervising building work often requires trust with a customer's funds or credit arrangements and, therefore relates to an LBP's fitness to be licensed," said Paul Hobbs, a registrar at Building Practitioner Licensing.

The Board also determined that Morrow's offending was serious, prolonged and designed to benefit him.

Morrow has been given a three-year stand-down period before he can reapply for an LBP licence.