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A Tūrangi man has been sentenced to pay more than $11,000 in fines, costs and reparation for falsely advertising himself as a registered plumber.
Santini Renney, who moved to New Zealand from South Africa in 2019, was sentenced in the Taupō District Court on July 23 on four charges including unlawfully completing sanitary plumbing work and falsely advertising himself as a plumber.
He was fined $7500 and ordered to pay costs as well as $3770.74 in reparation to the property owner.
According to a statement from the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board, Renney had been a plumber in South Africa.
After arriving in New Zealand, Renney asked the board for the requirements of registering as a plumber in New Zealand.
He was told he would need to have his qualification assessed and pass an exam to be a registered plumber in New Zealand. Renney did neither.
Instead, in early 2023, Renney started a business in Tūrangi and advertised his plumbing services on 16 different Taupō community Facebook pages.
Under the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 2006, it is an offence to use words or titles relating to plumbing that may cause someone to believe a person is a registered or licensed plumber when they are not.
The board wrote to Renney and told him to remove all advertising. Renney followed these instructions.
Santini Renney, who moved to New Zealand from South Africa in 2019, was sentenced in the Taupō District Court on July 23.
In April 2023, a Tūrangi homeowner saw Renney’s business advertised on a community Facebook page and contacted him about their leaking hot water cylinder.
Renney went to the property and replaced the hot water cylinder.
That night it began leaking from three joints, the wetback and solar heating unit did not work, and there was a banging noise coming from the installation.
Renney returned to the property to remediate the work, but the issues were not resolved.
The homeowner called another plumbing company to check the work.
A certifying plumber inspected the work, identified a number of issues and checked the public register.
Discovering Mr Renney was not a registered plumber, the certifying plumber then contacted the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board.
At sentencing, Judge Hollister-Jones agreed with the board’s submission that the public was vulnerable, especially because homeowners often needed plumbers on short notice.
Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board chief executive Aleyna Hall said she was pleased the property owner was awarded reparation but was disappointed Mr Renney was knowingly working in his community under false pretences.
“Mr Renney knew the steps he had to take to get registered in New Zealand but didn’t follow those,” Hall said in a statement.
“It is really important to ask for the name and licence number of the tradesperson and check the register to see what work they are authorised to do.”
Hall said the fine applied as a consequence of Renney’s actions and sent a warning to anyone working unlawfully in the industry.
“A high-profile sentencing draws attention to those working unlawfully in the industry,” Hall said.
“The board’s number one priority is protecting public health and safety and one of the ways we do this is by ensuring those who work unauthorised are held to account.”
