Ben DeClifford was sentenced in the Invercargill District Court after pleading guilty to eight charges under the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act.
At least one charge related to the defendant falsely representing himself as a licensed practitioner, including signing a statement using someone else’s registration number.
The charges came after complaints about work DeClifford did at five Cromwell and Wānaka properties between 2023 and last year.
This included installation of sewerage and stormwater drains, potable water pipes, sanitary plumbing systems, and a hot water cylinder.
At the time, the plumber was not authorised to carry out the work and a technical review found it was non-compliant with the New Zealand Building Code.
The issues — including incorrectly sized drainage pipes, unsafe proximity between potable water and wastewater pipes and pipework installed beneath concrete slabs without accessible ducts — posed a moderate risk to public health and safety, the review found.
The case highlighted potential risk and harm arising when restricted work was done by unauthorised people, the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board said in a statement following DeClifford’s sentencing last week.
‘‘The water pipes installed below the slab would have likely failed before the durability period of 50 years. The work also presented a potential for sewer blockages,’’ the board said.
‘‘This outcome reflects the importance of maintaining standards and ensuring only authorised practitioners carry out restricted work.’’
The board urged property owners to check the public register to ensure a practitioner is licensed to do the work. — Allied Media
