Advice for Consumers

All work carried out at your property must meet the requirements of the Building Code, regardless of whether it requires a code of compliance certificate or not.

For more information on complying with the Building Code, code compliance certificates and other building matters visit www.building.govt.nz

There you will also find a useful guide to plumbing, drainlaying and gasfitting work that does not require a building consent.

Use these tips to help your building project run well and ensure you know how to meet your legal obligations.

Renovating

When renovating or doing work on your home, the more you think about upfront the better it's likely to go. There's a lot to decide before you start hiring people. Take the quiz to help plan your renovation.

The Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayer’s Board recommends before using the services of a licensed tradesperson:

1. Shop around and obtain a range of written quotes before you decide.
2. Ask to see a tradesperson's New Zealand Practising Licence and check the expiry date to see that it is current.
3. A plumber, gasfitter or drainlayer can produce their licence via an app on their phone or a physical licence.
4. When checking a tradesperson’s licence, also ensure that they are licensed to carry out that particular work. For example, if they are carrying out plumbing work it is good to check that they are licensed to carry out plumbing work. The same applies for gasfitting and drainlaying.
5. Ask the tradesperson whether they require any supervision and who their supervisor is. You can check the name of the supervisor on the public register to ensure that they are also licensed.
6. Search the licence number of your chosen registered tradesperson on the public register

Example of a New Zealand practising licence

You can

Install appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines; replace or repair taps, ball cocks and plugs.

You cannot

Undertake any work involved in fixing or unfixing any pipe, plumbing fixture or appliance including; any trap, waste or soil pipe, ventilation pipe, or overflow pipe and any pipe that supplies or is intended to supply water.

Sanitary plumbing

• Must comply with the building code and, where building consent is required; the work must be checked by the building inspector from the building control authority in your area (your local council). A code compliance certificate cannot be issued until the work has been signed off by the building inspector.
• A certifying plumber is responsible for the testing, verification and the supervision of tradesman plumbers, journeyman plumbers, limited certificate (trainee plumbers) and exempted persons.

Certifying Plumber

• The highest qualification available. These people are qualified and registered. They are responsible for ensuring both their own work and the work of anyone they supervise is done competently.

You can

Work on portable gas appliances which have the gas bottle attached such as barbecues, cabinet heaters and patio heaters, although the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board strongly recommends that a gasfitter is used.

You cannot

Undertake any work involved in installing, altering or repairing gas appliances including:

• Fixing or unfixing of any gas pipes, ventilation or flue pipes
• Commissioning gas appliances and ensuring their safe operation (including the testing, setting, checking and adjusting of safety devices, combustion conditions and controls associated with the gas installation and ensuring there is adequate ventilation)
• Work on appliances fitted to ships, boats, caravans, motorhomes, trains and any other vehicles, and also includes work on gas appliances fixed within buildings that are supplied by gas bottles of any size.

A certifying gasfitter is responsible for the testing, verification and the supervision of tradesman gasfitters, Journeyman gasfitters, limited certificate (trainee gasfitters) and exempted persons.

Certifying Gasfitter

• The highest qualification available. These people are qualified and registered. They are responsible for ensuring both their own work and the work of anyone they supervise is done competently.
• A Certifying Gasfitter provides gasfitting certificates. (Also see gasfitting certificates at www.worksafe.govt.nz)

Tradesman Gasfitter

• These people are qualified and registered and usually work independently. However, a nominated certifying tradesperson (supervisor), is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the work is done competently.

Journeyman Gasfitter

• These people have completed a trade qualification but have not passed the Board's licensing exam.  They are registered and authorised.    

Limited Certificate Trainee Gasfitter

• These are people who are working towards becoming qualified. They can do the work but must be supervised by a certifying person who is ultimately responsible for ensuring the work is done competently.

Exemption 20

• These people are not registered and don't have a full qualification, but they can do gasfitting work within the scope of the exemption that has been granted. They may also be granted permission to file gasfitting certificates of compliance.

Exemption 21

• These people are not registered and don't have a full qualification, but they can do gasfitting work provided they are supervised by a certifying person, who must ensure that the work is done competently.

Check the licence

Ask to see a tradespersons licence before they start work to check they are authorised to complete the work.

What are the obligations in relation to gasfitting certificates?

A certifying gasfitter must provide a signed gasfitting certificate where they have done gasfitting work at the consumer’s property.

The gasfitter that provides the certificate may not necessarily be the person who carried out the gasfitting work at the property. However, if they have not done the work themselves, the certifying gasfitter that provides the certificate must be satisfied that the work was carried out in accordance with the law with and compliance documents that specify how gasfitting work must be done.

• The gasfitter is required by law to provide a gasfitting certificate within 20 working days of the gasfitting work being connected to the gas supply.
• The gasfitter must also keep a copy of any gasfitting certificate they issue for seven years.

What to do with a gasfitting certificate

Gasfitting certificates should be kept in a safe place. They may be needed if you sell the property or for insurance purposes. Gas providers may also require a copy of your certificate before they supply you with gas or refill your LPG bottles.

What if the gasfitting certificate cannot be found?

If you cannot obtain a copy of a gasfitting certificate, you will have to contact another certifying gasfitter to check the safety of your gas installation.

• A certifying gasfitter can issue a certificate of verification of the safety of your existing installation.
• Note: you will have to pay for a gasfitter to issue a certificate of verification.

Gasfitting certificates are a legal document required under the Gas (Safety and Measurement) Regulations 2010. A gasfitting certificate is the gasfitter’s verification that the gasfitting work is lawful and compliant.

Gasfitting certificates may be called different things under different pieces of legislation

• Under the Building Act 2004, they are recognised as an Energy Works Certificate.
• Under the Gas (Safety and Measurement) Regulations, they are called a Gasfitting Certificate of Compliance and a Gas Safety Certificate.

Gasfitting certificates issued after 1 October 2013

The Board no longer holds gas certificates issued after 1 October 2013.

You can

Clear blocked drains, but only if this does not involve altering or repairing the inspection pipe or ventilation pipe in any way.

You cannot

Undertake any work involving the installation, alteration or repairs to a drain, including the fixing or unfixing of a drain to an onsite wastewater system (septic tank) or any trap.

What is considered drainlaying?

Drains are underground pipes which carry foul or surface water (stormwater) and enter either an onsite waste water disposal system (septic tank) or a sewer which is likely to be controlled by a territorial authority (district council).

Drainlaying work is generally undertaken inside a legal boundary though this may not always be the case. Drainlaying work however does not include pipes in the control of the Crown or a local authority. Drainlaying also does not include an open jointed or perforated drain for collecting and removing ground water.

A certifying or licensed drainlayer is crucial to a well installed and well maintained drainage and disposal system. To become a certifying drainlayer a person will be in training for at least four years.

All drainlaying work must comply with the Building Code and where a building consent is required, the work must be checked by the building inspector from the building control authority in your area (your local council). A code compliance certificate cannot be issued until the work has been signed off by the building inspector.

A certifying drainlayer is responsible for the testing, verification and the supervision of tradesman drainlayers, journeyman drainlayers, limited certificate (trainee drainlayers) and exempted persons.