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Landlords and property managers are being urged to use only authorised tradespeople to carry out work on their property.
The construction sector’s regulator the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board (PGDB), has been educating homeowners and tenants about protecting their insurance and their health and safety – by checking the credentials of tradespeople.
PGDB chief executive Martin Sawyers says restricted plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying work conducted by anyone, including home handyman service providers, who don’t hold a current licence from the board, are not only putting public health and safety at risk but may also be invalidating homeowner insurance policies.
“The new mobile app RAC (report-a-cowboy), is doing its job,”Mr Sawyers says. “Reports are coming through, and the investigations team are taking immediate action”.
One report highlighted a report from a concerned tenant highlighting unlawful work conducted at their home through services organised by a property management company.
“We’re concerned that this may just be the tip of the iceberg.
“Tradespeople need to carry a current authorisation card – and I strongly urge consumers and property managers to ask to sight it to protect themselves from any health and safety or insurance risk.”
To check if a person is authorised, search the online public register at pgdb.co.nz.
