News and updates
Keep up to date with news from the Board.
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Codewords issue 122
Codewords issue 122 includes information on complaints not upheld and options for self-certification.
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Have your say on insulation requirements
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is seeking feedback on changing the Building Code H1 Energy Efficiency requirements for insulation in homes and other buildings to help building designers and to reduce costs and maintain energy e
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The 1-year transition period for the 2023 Building Code update has ended
In November 2023, MBIE published updated acceptable solutions and verification methods which support plumbing and drainage work, and protection from fire. These changes came with a 1-year transition period where the previous versions of the documents co
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Determinations
Determinations are legally binding decisions made by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). They are for matters of doubt or dispute to do with building work outlined in the Building Act and the Building Code.
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Summary of granny flats consultation feedback
Read the summary of the feedback received during the recent granny flats consultation in the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) report.
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New series to help businesses unmask cyber crime
Small businesses are the target for nearly half of all cyber crime in Aotearoa, with one in three experiencing at least one cyber attack. But less than half of business owners say they are prepared for an online incident.
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Codewords issue 121
Codewords issue 121 includes information on Satisfied on reasonable grounds and Minor variations.
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Have your say on streamlining the building consent system with remote inspections
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is seeking feedback on a range of options to increase the uptake of remote inspections and improve efficiency and productivity in the building inspection process.
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Complaint Decision – September 2024
A complaint was made against DAVID DRIVER who is licensed in the veneer and structural masonry areas of practice in the Brick and Blocklaying licence class. The complaint was in relation to a deck and retaining wall that he built.
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LBP Rules Amendment 2024
To improve relicensing rates, the late fee is changing so it is only charged if you renew your licence after your digital identification ID card expires. The first LBPs to benefit will be those with identification ID cards expiring at the end of October.
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LBP Amendment Rules 2024
The Licenced Building Practitioner Rules have been amended to: change the late fee charge to be due if a licence is not renewed on or before the digital licence ID card expiry date update Schedule 2 which lists the recognised qualifications for licence classes. The change to the late fee applie...
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Codewords issue 120
Codewords issue 120 includes information on Supervision and Remote inspections.
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Satisfied on reasonable grounds
MBIE has just released a guidance document on Satisfied on reasonable grounds. This is primarily for BCAs to help improve understanding of what ‘satisfied on reasonable grounds’ means and how to apply it.
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Prosecution of an unlicensed person – Jimmy Carson
Between September 2021 and July 2022, Jimmy Carson, sole director of Carson Design and Co Ltd, forged the names and signatures of two licensed builders while working on three properties in Mt Maunganui, East Taieri and Tauranga.
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Complaint Decisions – August 2024
Summary of 6 cases: In 6 recent cases the respondents failed to provide a record of work on completion of restricted building work. All respondents were fined $1000 and ordered to pay costs of $500. These cases are a good reminder that the record of building work form must be completed by all LBPs...
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Codewords issue 119
Codewords issue 119 includes information on Records of Work and Resolving disputes in building projects.
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Complaint Decisions – June 2024
Case 1: The Respondent failed to provide a Record of Work on completion of Restricted Building Work. He is fined $1,000 and ordered to pay costs of $500. The disciplinary finding will be recorded on the public Register for a period of three years. Case 2: The Complaint was made by a main contract...
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Skills Maintenance 115 Quiz Correction
What the building product information requirements mean for Licensed Building Practitioners
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Complaint decisions – April 2024
The Building Practitioners Board hear and investigate complaints made against Licenced Building Practitioners (LBPs) about unsatisfactory work or breaches of the LBP code of ethics. The outcome of each complaint is published on the LBP website at lbp.govt
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Codewords issue 118
Codewords issue 118 includes information on understanding the business side of being a tradie what you need to know when repairing flood damaged buildings.
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Digital licence cards
A reminder that we no longer issue plastic ID cards for LBPs.
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Prosecution of an unlicensed person – Aaron Billington
Mr Aaron Billington a roofer based in Palmerston North, carried out the construction of a roof while un-licensed.
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Complaint decisions – February 2024
The Building Practitioners Board hear and investigate complaints made against Licenced Building Practitioners (LBPs) about unsatisfactory work or breaches of the LBP code of ethics. The outcome of each complaint is published on this website.
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Codewords issue 117
Codewords issue 117 includes information on Energy Based Hazard Recognition and part 3 of our series on the code of ethics and what it means for you.
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Updated guidance on replacing plasterboard in flood damaged buildings
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has updated its guidance to assist with remediation and recovery work in flood damaged buildings.
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Codewords issue 116
Codewords issue 116 includes lessons learned from Board decisions, and what the Building Code update means to you.
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Building Practitioners Board suspends builder’s licence
Building Practitioners Board suspends builder’s licence for bringing LBP scheme into disrepute.
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Unlicensed Builder fined for carrying out restricted building work
An unlicensed builder has been fined after an investigation by Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) Occupational Regulation team found the man to be in breach of the Building Act 2004.
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New retention money requirements now in force
New requirements to protect subcontractors who have retention money withheld from them commenced on 5 October 2023.
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Lessons from Board decisions
When a complaint is made against a licensed building practitioner (LBP), the complaint is investigated, and if found to be within the grounds for complaints, it will be heard by the Building Practitioners Board.
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Client Survey Reminder
You will have received an email with a link to our client survey especially for Licensed Building Practitioners. We run this survey every two years and really value the feedback you provide us through this.
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Codewords issue 115
Codewords issue 115 includes more information about The code of ethics and the Building (Building Product Information Requirements) Regulations 2022.
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Codewords issue 114
Codewords issue 114 includes information about The code of ethics and what it means to you and changes to retention money requirements.
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‘Two Steps, Too Easy’ campaign encouraging businesses to use 2FA
Every business has information it needs to protect, and 2FA is the easiest way to do that. CERT NZ is back with the ‘Two Steps, Too Easy’ campaign encouraging small businesses to use this incredibly simple tool.
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Codewords issue 113
Codewords issue 113 includes information about H1 Energy efficiency compliance and rebuilding in the aftermath of the severe summer weather.
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Codewords issue 112
Codewords issue 112 includes information about the site licence class and the owner-builder exemption.
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Codewords issue 111
Codewords issue 111 includes information about the new code of ethics and recent updates to the Building Code.
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Codewords issue 110
Codewords issue 110 includes information about the BuiltReady scheme and how it works.
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New code of ethics for LBPs is now in force
The new code of ethics for Licensed Building Practitioners (LBPs) is enforceable by the Building Practitioners Board from today (25 October 2022).
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New LBP portal is now live
The new Licensed Building Practitioners (LBP) portal went live on Monday 3 October 2022.
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Codewords issue 109
Codewords issue 109 includes MBIE guidance on building product substitution and Medium Density Residential Standards.
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A new code of ethics for Licensed Building Practitioners
In October 2021, the Government announced a new code of ethics for Licensed Building Practitioners (LBPs), with a 12-month transition period before it becomes enforceable.
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New LBP portal release date and webinar recording
The new Licensed Building Practitioners (LBP) portal goes live from Monday 3 October 2022.
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Code of ethics webinar on 1 September 2022
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE’s) Building Performance team, are hosting a webinar about the new code of ethics for Licensed Building Practitioners (LBPs) at 6pm on Thursday 1 September 2022.
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Codewords issue 108
Codewords issue 108 includes New Regulations for building products and Supervision.
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Unlicensed designer prosecuted in the Tauranga District Court
Licensed building practitioners (LBPs) can be held to account by the Building Practitioners Board if they have breached any of the grounds for discipline referred to in Section 317 of the Building Act.
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New LBP portal coming soon
We are replacing the Licensed Building Practitioners (LBP) portal later this year.
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Codewords issue 107
Codewords issue 107 includes LBP Code of Ethics and Health & Safety Challenges in 2022.
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Be more secure online with 2FA
CERT NZ’s latest campaign is focussed on helping small businesses, who are often time poor and not always super tech savvy, protect their online accounts with two-factor authentication (2FA).
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Codewords issue 106
Codewords issue 106 includes updates to LBP self-service portal, communications, licence packs and skills maintenance.
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Updates to LBP self-service portal, communications and licence packs in mid-2022
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is upgrading the LBP self-service portal in mid-2022. This upgrade is part of a wider MBIE initiative to modernise and improve security for our services.
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Codewords issue 105
Codewords issue 105 includes the sixth and final article on the history of the LBP scheme, as well as information on grounds for complaints.
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Codewords issue 104
Codewords issue 104 includes the fifth article on the history of the LBP scheme, as well as information on enhancing health and safety innovation in New Zealand.
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New Code of Ethics for Licensed Building Practitioners
A new Code of Ethics has been introduced for Licensed Building Practitioners to ensure high standards are maintained in the industry.
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Codewords issue 103
Codewords issue 103 includes the fourth article on the history of the LBP scheme, as well as information on building accessibility and the future proofing of our buildings.
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COVID-19 Update
The LBP scheme is still operating under COVID-19 alert level 4, however our processing capacity has reduced due to various constraints. We are working on completing licensing renewals completed via the online portal.
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Codewords issue 102
Codewords issue 102 includes further information on where the LBP scheme came from as well as information from MBIE's Weathertight Services Technical Team identifying recurring areas of weathertightness failures.
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Codewords issue 101
Codewords issue 101 includes information on where the LBP scheme came from, and where it is heading to next and details about an upcoming survey of LBPs to help us understand the levels of service we are providing.
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Codewords issue 100
Codewords issue 100 includes information on changes to the Building Code and suspensions
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James Smith (CB25585)
The Board has chosen to publish the details of this hearing due to the LBP carrying out or supervising building work in a negligent manner, and in a manner that was contrary to a building consent. He also brought the licensing regime into disrepute when h
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Blair Pitcaithly (CB25353)
The Board has chosen to publish the details of this hearing due to the respondent’s criminal offending bringing the Licensed Building Practitioners scheme into disrepute.
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Alan Chellp (CB25422)
The Board has chosen to publish the details of this hearing due to the LBP negligently supervising roofing work that did not meet acceptable standards.
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Impacted services: RealMe login outage
RealMe services are being upgraded from 9pm Friday 9 April to 9pm Sunday 11 April. Online services requiring Realme login will be unavailable during this time.
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Codewords issue 99
This issue covers: Registrars update; Skills maintenance articles - Certificates of Work and Documenting Collaborative Design - Healthy homes: insulation