Unlicensed builder fined
An unlicensed builder has been convicted of two charges of falsely claiming to be a licensed building practitioner. Albany-based builder Blair Cole has been fined $5000 and ordered to pay court costs and $1296 in reparation to an Orewa homeowner. The case against Cole was brought to the North Shore District Court by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Occupational Licensing Team. Cole, who trades as Akoranga Construction Limited, ran numerous advertisements in local papers falsely claiming to be a licensed practitioner and displayed the Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) logo on his business card, despite never holding an LBP license, investigations team leader Simon Thomas says.
An Orewa homeowner responded to one of the advertisements, engaging Mr Cole to replace a number of piles under the deck of her house.
‘‘Mr Cole undertook this work, continuing the guise of a licensed builder. The homeowner paid Mr Cole for the job, which remains unfinished.’’
It is an offence under the Building Act 2004 for a person to claim to be licensed to carry out or supervise restricted building work, while not being licensed. Mr Cole pleaded guilty to both charges, was fined $5000, and ordered to pay court fees and $1296.02 in reparation to the homeowner.