Christchurch engineer Pavol Csiba who lied about inspecting quake-damaged property fined $9000

An Engineering New Zealand Disciplinary Committee found Pavol Csiba signed a report saying he had visited a quake-damaged Christchurch property when he had not.

An engineer who lied about inspecting an earthquake-damaged Christchurch property has been fined $9000 and ordered to undertake professional development.

An Engineering New Zealand Disciplinary Committee found Pavol Csiba signed a report saying he had visited a property when he had not.

It emerged in a High Court dispute over an insurance claim for damage the property sustained in the Canterbury quakes.

The disciplinary committee found that the report was misleading "as a reasonable observer would read the report and assume that he had visited [the] site and based his recommendations on that site visit".

"Mr Csiba had multiple opportunities to correct the mistake and did not," the engineers' professional body said.

"As a member of Engineering New Zealand, the public places trust in Mr Csiba and the care he uses when signing documents should reflect this trust."

Csiba appealed the disciplinary committee's decision but it was upheld by an appeal committee, which imposed additional costs.

If Csiba does not undertake further professional development in being an expert witness by January 6 next year, his membership of Engineering New Zealand will be suspended for six months.