No licences leads to the prosecution of another Auckland man

In a judgment released today, another Auckland man has been convicted and fined $4,050 plus court costs and solicitor’s fees for illegally carrying out sanitary plumbing and gasfitting work without licences. This brings the number of prosecutions in the Auckland region brought by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board (PGDB) to six over the past month.

Plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying are regulated industries in New Zealand and it is illegal for anyone to do this work unless they are authorised to do so by the Board.

Johnathan Reed did not hold a plumbing licence or a gasfitting licence when he replaced a natural gas powered hot water cylinder at a property in Mount Roskill with a new hot water cylinder.

This work was later found to be defective by a certifying plumber and gasfitter who was called to the home when the hot water cylinder had stopped working.

The system had not been installed correctly to the manufacturer’s specifications. Mr Reed had connected the hot water cylinder to a flue that was not fit for purpose, which caused the pilot flame to fail.

Mr Reed pleaded guilty to both charges brought against him in breach of the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 2006, for carrying out sanitary plumbing and also gasfitting work without authorisation.

The Board’s Chief Executive, Max Pedersen, said: "There are serious health and safety risks associated with sanitary plumbing and gasfitting that is carried out by an unauthorised person.

"The role of the PGDB is to help keep consumers safe and ensure that the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying components within the construction industry are being carried out to a high standard by competent tradespeople. These latest prosecutions show that the PGDB is working hard to deliver its promise to the New Zealand public."

"Homeowners should not risk their family’s health and safety or their insurance by hiring unauthorised tradespeople. Authorised tradespeople need to carry a current authorisation card. Consumers should always ask for this card before any work commences, to be assured that the work is being done by a competent tradesperson."

If a homeowner believes that work has been done by someone who is not authorised, or has concerns about the competency of tradespeople, they can make a complaint to the Board. You can check to see if a tradesperson is authorised at the Board’s website www.pgdb.co.nz.

Mr Reed was sentenced in the Auckland District Court on 28 October 2014. He was convicted and fined $3,375 plus court costs and a solicitor’s fee for the gasfitting charge; and $675 plus court costs and a solicitor’s fee for the sanitary plumbing charge.

Mr Reed has since gained authorisations as a licensed plumber and gasfitter giving him authorisation to carry out sanitary plumbing and gasfitting under the supervision of a certifying tradesperson.