Unlicensed builder to pay $13,200

Builder claimed he was licensed when he was not. Photo / George Novak

A Christchurch builder has been ordered to pay $13,200 for falsely claiming to be a licensed building practitioner.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said Andrew Maloney is not and has never been licensed, yet claimed he held a licence when he was engaged by a construction company in July 2016.

"His false claim is a serious offence under the Building Act 2004," says investigations team leader Simon Thomas.

He set out and prepared the formwork for foundations, and placed and tied reinforcing steel for a new build on a Christchurch property.

The work he carried out without a licence was restricted building work, which must be done by an LBP or be supervised by an LBP. The work on the property was later undertaken, completed and signed off by an LBP.

"Mr Maloney went to the extent of writing a false LBP number on his Record of Work, a mandatory form of documentation, which is provided when restricted building work is carried out by an LBP," Thomas said.

Once a colleague checked the LBP register and probed Maloney, he insisted there was an error with the register, and maintained he was licensed.

He signed an employment agreement stating he was employed as a licensed builder, and told several people on site he was licensed.

"If you want to do restricted building work, you must be a licensed building practitioner, or be supervised by one.

"We encourage all employers of LBPs, as well as homeowners, to check a builder is licensed on the public register," Thomas says.