Complain about a licensed building practitioner
Last updated: 15 September 2022
If you are unable to resolve a problem with your Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) directly, you could look at other options such as making a complaint. You can make a complaint where you believe they were negligent, incompetent or in breach of the grounds for discipline in the Building Act.
A licensed building practitioner (LBP) must work to rules set out in their licence and is answerable to their governing board, the Building Practitioners Board. They can do or supervise restricted building work they are licensed to do, as well as any other non-restricted work.
Restricted building work explains this type of building work.
You can complain to the Building Practitioners Board about any work done by an LBP. The main criteria is they must have been licensed at the time of the problem work. If they were not licensed at all, you need to complain to our Occupational Licensing Team (see Complain about someone doing or supervising RBW without a licence) or talk to the council.
The LBP licence classes include:
- designers
- carpenters
- brick and blocklayers
- roofers
- external plasterers
- site
- foundations.
If you need to make a complaint, there is a very clear complaints process.
You can learn about LBPs, search the register and download a complaint form from the LBP website
The Building Practitioners Board can:
- investigate and hear complaints about work or conduct (a disciplinary process with evidence given under oath)
- discipline and fine an LBP
- record any disciplinary action on the public register for LBPs for three years.
The Building Practitioners Board cannot:
- award the complainant any compensation or make the LBP fix defective work
- hear complaints regarding payment disputes, or commercial or contractual disputes including employment disputes. If your problem relates to one of these issues, you will need to look at other options.