Building Industry Federation condemns axing of private building certifiers

1.00pm

The Building Industry Federation says uncertainty and chaos in the housing market are likely consequences of the Government's decision to exclude private building certifiers.

Chief executive John Pfahlert said in a statement today the industry was in limbo.

The Government had not consulted industry before deciding to refuse interim arrangements that would have allowed private building certifiers to continue operating under the Building Act.

The provision excluding private certifiers takes effect from March.

"The fact is that many communities are totally reliant on private certifiers to carry out building inspections," Mr Pfahlert said.

"Without territorial councils having sufficient building inspectors to do the work it is inevitable that there will be a period of chaos and delays in the inspection of homes under construction."

Mr Pfahlert said it was appalling that the Government knew this situation would develop and chose not to arrange an interim solution, or amend the bill, when new housing construction was proceeding at extremely high levels.

Councils such as Manukau City Council had said they were under-resourced for the certification task.

Mr Pfahlert noted the "very same people" who would lose their jobs with private certifying companies would be doing the same job employed by local councils.

This week the Building Industry Authority deregistered Auckland company, Approved Building Certifiers (ABC), after finding that it had been "negligent and incompetent in its operations as a building certifier".

The action came after complaints from North Shore and Waitakere city council, and affects up to 5000 construction jobs.

- NZPA