Feedback, Compliments & Complaints

To make a complaint or share your issue about out services - please complete our online feedback form. Alternatively you can contact us by phone or drop in and see us at 2 Norman Kirk Drive.

You will need to supply the following information

• date the incident occurred
• nature of your complaint
• supporting information (as relevant) – eg aim to provide  
  • any useful background information that will help fill any gaps in other information
  • details of other parties involved in your build who are relevant to this complaint
  • a timeline of activities that led up to you raising your complaint
• your name and contact details – to enable us to respond to you (your details will be kept confidential)
• your preferred method of communication

The better the quality of information that you can provide to us, the more efficient we can be in helping you with your complaint or issue.

Please contact the staff member you have been dealing with in the first instance – they will try to resolve the matter straight away if they can.

If they can’t resolve your concern or complaint

• they will escalate it, or
• it may be recorded as a complaint for investigation.

• We encourage you to seek support from a family member or friend when submitting a complaint.
• Please let us know if you need assistance with translation or interpreting so that we can assist with this.
• If you are acting on behalf of the complainant, please let us know from the start and confirm details for communication about your complaint.

You will be advised in writing

• if your complaint is allocated for investigation within 5 working days of receipt of your complaint or your concern being escalated for investigation,
• the reference number, and a summary of the issue, and
• the name of the person investigating your complaint.

Complaints will be

• prioritised according to risk and urgency,
• allocated to someone with the authority to resolve it, and
• handled by our team with sensitivity and impartiality (note – complaints about staff members will be escalated and resolved by the appropriate people leader).

You may be asked for further information to allow us to investigate your complaint through a fair review process.

Our aim is to resolve complaints within 20 working days. We’ll keep you informed of progress during any investigations as needed and advise if we need longer to complete the investigation if the issue is complex.

There is no charge for handling complaints.

We recognise that there may be situations leading up to a complaint where people respond out of character.

However our employees and contractors will not tolerate abusive behaviour, verbal or otherwise in carrying out their work.

If during the handling of an issue or a complaint we find the that your behaviour is unacceptable or inappropriate, we will stop with your enquiry or investigation of your complaint and advise you why. We won’t continue with your enquiry or complaint until we reach agreement with you on what is appropriate behaviour.

Where we consider that your complaint is frivolous, habitual, vexatious, or another formal process has commenced around your complaint then we may refuse to investigate it. You will be advised if this decision is made.

You can escalate your complaint or appeal the outcome if you disagree with our decision during or at the conclusion of our investigation.

You can apply to the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment for a determination if

• you are unhappy with a decision made, or
• choose to use an alternative route to settle your issue or dispute.

You may have already asked for an opinion or advice from the Ministry about the same question. A determination is different in that the Ministry takes a detailed look at the matter and makes a legally binding decision.

Determinations provide a way of solving disputes or questions about

• the rules that apply to buildings
• how buildings are used
• building accessibility.

A determination can be about building work that is planned, partly done, or completed.

In most cases a person applying for the determination disagrees with the council about decisions the council has made about a building.

However, a determination can be applied for by

• the council, or
• a neighbour who is affected by building work.

If you're still unhappy with the outcome of your complaint, you can appeal and request a review of the decision. Appeals must be made in writing explaining why you disagree with the decision.

The Building Practitioners Board (the Board) is an important part of the Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) scheme. Anyone can complain to the Board about the conduct of an LBP.

To be able to make a complaint about an LBP you need to ensure that

1. The person you are complaining about was an LBP when the conduct occurred
2. The conduct you are complaining about falls within one or more of the ‘grounds for discipline’ listed in section 317 of the Building Act 2004
3. You can provide sufficient proof to support your complaint
4. Your complaint is made on the approved form

The Board cannot hear complaints regarding payment disputes and commercial or contractual disputes, including employment disputes.

The complaint process and forms

• How to make a complaint about a Licensed Building Practitioner
• Complaints to the Building Practitioners Board: A Quick-Guide
• Complaint form

If the trade person is not LBP registered, and the work involved is restricted building work, a complaint can be made to the Occupational Licensing Team (OLT) at the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment.

For plumbing, gas fitting, drain laying, electrical, engineering and architectural work there are respective registration bodies who can deal with any issues or complaints as follows

• The Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board
• Electrical Workers Registration Board
• Engineering New Zealand
• New Zealand Registered Architects Board.

There are various routes available to you should any issues happen with your build. Often the most successful way is to resolve it yourself through communicating with the people involved.

A good place to check your rights is to check the details of your contract – which should have clauses covering problem resolution process.

There are also consumer protection options available through the Building Act, Construction Contracts Act, Consumer Guarantees Act and Fair Trading Act.

You can also use third parties to help resolve issues through mediation, arbitration and adjudication. This could include taking a dispute through the Disputes Tribunal or courts.