VBA Actions for the week ending 21 February 2020

Investigations – Building

• Prosecutions initiated: 3

Investigations – Plumbing

• Warning letters issued: 1

Practitioner Discipline

• Show cause notices issued: 4
• Notices of decision: 4
• Half-day oral representations: 1

Levy Audit

• Number of Audit site visits: 2

Prosecutions

• A handyman was fined $2000 and ordered to pay costs of $1066 by the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court for carrying out gasfitting, water supply and sanitary plumbing work without qualifications or accreditation.
• A licensed plumber pleaded guilty to four charges of carrying out non-compliant roofing work and one charge of issuing a compliance certificate knowing it contained false or misleading information. The Wodonga Magistrates’ Court imposed a twelve-month undertaking to be of good behaviour, ordered the plumber to pay the VBA’s costs of $1033 and ordered them to make a $1000 donation to the Magistrates’ Court fund.
• A plumber who was once registered in Victoria was convicted and fined $4000 by the Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court for carrying out specialised plumbing work without a registration or licence. The former plumber was ordered to pay the VBA’s costs of $1160.
• A commercial builder was prosecuted for carrying out domestic building work without appropriate registration or insurance. The builder was convicted and fined $10,000 by the Geelong Magistrates’ Court. He was also ordered to pay the VBA’s costs of $952.

Proactive Inspections

• 271 inspections across 24 municipalities.
• Building Notices issued: 1
• Building Orders for Minor Work issued: 3

Plumbing Audits

• Audits: 202
• Re-audits: 19
• Inspections: 30
• Re-inspections: 1

Statewide Cladding Audit

• Five inspections were completed across five municipalities.
• Five expert panels were conducted. From these, one building was rated extreme risk, one was rated high and three were rated moderate.
• Three inspections are scheduled for the week commencing 24 February 2020.