Builder admits to offences and forgery

AN unlicensed builder has been prosecuted for portraying himself as a licensed builder — the first such prosecution since an amendment to the Building Act.

Mosgiel man Rodney James Day pleaded guilty to 11 offences for portraying himself as a licensed builder and four forgery charges in Christchurch District Court in New Zealand.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) said that on two occasions while working at Christchurch properties Mr Day told the owners that his licence had expired, and he would get a licensed building practitioner, known as a LBP, to sign off the work.

Instead, Mr Day used a LBP number known to him to complete the paperwork without having the work reviewed.

The LBP scheme was launched in November 2007 after an amendment to the Building Act 2004.

In one case, the paperwork was provided to a real estate company for use in the sale of the property.

The LBP scheme was launched in November 2007 after an amendment to the Building Act 2004.

MBIE occupational licensing operations manager Duncan Connor said this type of offending was undertaken to deliberately mislead people for the individual’s own financial gain.

“Mr Day deceived not only the people who hired him to undertake building work, he fraudulently used another person’s details to his own benefit, not considering the impact this would have on them,” Mr Connor said.

He said the LBP scheme was in place to ensure consumers could make informed decisions when it came to hiring builders to undertake restricted building work.