Plumbers, Gasfitters
and Drainlayers Board
Man serving four-year fraud conviction found guilty of working as an unlicensed plumber
Bryan Martin was sentenced in the Manukau District Court last week on charges of unlawfully completing sanitary plumbing work and falsely advertising himself as a plumber. Mr Martin has never held an authorisation to practise sanitary plumbing in New Zealand.
In March 2021 a homeowner saw Mr Martin’s services advertised on Facebook Marketplace and contacted him regarding a bathroom and laundry renovation on their Glenfield, Auckland property.
The renovations included plumbing work to remove existing showers and installation of new toilets, which required installing and altering the water and waste pipework. Mr Martin provided quotes to the homeowner and began work on the property.
Over the following months the homeowner noticed that the work completed by Mr Martin was not up to standard. Issues included holes in the walls; blocked toilets; a faulty LED mirror in the bathroom; incomplete work and power cutting out on the washing machines. Mr Martin did not complete the work or remediate any of those issues.
In August 2021 the homeowner called a plumbing company to inspect the work. The company noted a number of serious concerns about the plumbing work by Mr Martin and provided the homeowner with a report setting these out. The homeowner paid another company $3,864 for the remedial work.
The homeowner made a complaint to the Board in February 2022. An assessment by a Board technical advisor found fifteen compliance issues.
Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board Chief Executive Aleyna Hall says the health and safety issues identified with Mr Martin’s work could have seriously risked the homeowner and their property.
“There was a risk of scalding from un-tempered water, and multiple points where water and waste can leak causing excess moisture and unsanitary conditions. The plumbing work was done to such a poor standard that it would not function, which could have caused a loss of use of sanitary fixtures and appliances.”
“These issues could have harmed the homeowners and their property.”
“In the past two months, four people have been sentenced in New Zealand for unauthorised work. It’s a win for our industry to hold those people that are working unlawfully to account.”
“Check the public register to see if your plumber, gasfitter or drainlayer is licensed to do the work.”
When deciding the sentence for Mr Martin last week, Judge Webby considered that Mr Martin’s ability to pay a fine was not realistic as he is currently serving a four year sentence for mortgage fraud. Mr Martin was convicted and discharged.
Notes
- Bryan Martin advertised plumbing services on Facebook Marketplace and completed sanitary plumbing work on a Glenfield, Auckland property, without an authorisation.
- Judge Webby sentenced Mr Martin on two charges, one for being an unlicensed or unregistered person using any written words or titles in connection with any business that may cause any other person to believe that the person using them is licensed or registered and one for unauthorised sanitary plumbing
- The homeowner took Mr Martin to the Disputes Tribunal and was awarded $22,974.88.
- Recent sentencings under the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 2006:
- Santini Renney was sentenced and fined $7,500 in the Taupō District Court last week for unlawfully completing sanitary plumbing work and falsely advertising as a plumber.
- A man was sentenced and fined $3,000 in the Porirua District Court in June 2024 for unauthorised work.
- Graeme Kyle was sentenced and fined $9,000 in June 2024 for carrying out electrical and plumbing work while unlicensed at a Dannevirke property that risked the health and safety of the property and its occupants.