Cautious Optimism About Self-Certification Proposal

The government is proposing a new self-certification scheme that will allow building professionals and accredited businesses to carry out low-risk building work.

“It takes on average 569 days for a home be built and consented – amid a housing shortage, that is simply too long to wait,” Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.

“We are announcing plans to develop a new opt-in self-certification scheme for trusted building professionals and accredited businesses.

“The building consent system is intended to protect homeowners from defective building work by requiring work to be inspected and consented to by a Building Consent Authority.

“But the regime is inefficient and adds cost and time to the build process, which makes it harder for Kiwis to realise their dream of homeownership.”

The New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors’ president, David Clifton, is wary of the Government’s proposed changes. He told Newstalk ZB that industry education processes are not up to the standard required for self-certification.

“There is huge value in refining the consenting process to address time and cost concerns,” he said.

“In fact, there are examples where the time and costs of the consent processing outweigh the cost of the actual work.

“But these are at the fringes of the process, and so these proposed changes must strike the right balance between oversimplifying the process and protecting homeowners, businesses, and councils.”

“We believe that Licensed Building Practitioners (LBPs) need further training to be adequately prepared for any proposed change for self-certification.

“The market must have confidence the sector can deliver with minimal defects from design, to build and completion. This can only be achieved with the process of further education for the sector and confirmation of this working via independent inspections.”

Labour and LGNZ “Cautiously Optimistic”

Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) President Sam Broughton says that councils are “cautiously optimistic” that the proposed scheme will result in a more efficient building process.

“While many councils around Aotearoa will be in favour of measures to streamline the building consent process in their region, just like with any regulatory system, there is a need for appropriate checks, balances and strict quality control to be in place.

“The Government has indicated that additional safeguards will be put in place, both to minimise the likelihood of defective building work and to have a clear pathway for customers to remedy issues. This is important; we need to ensure that both councils and homeowners are protected from risk as best as possible.

“Some issues can take many years to manifest, and historically, councils have been left to pick up the tab. So, it’s vital that the new legislation removes any liability from councils for the works being certified – so that neither they nor affected homeowners are saddled with costs if an issue occurs.”

Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace says the move is long overdue. “Master Plumbers has advocated for self-certification for plumbers and drainlayers for more than four years. Self-certification minimises consenting and inspection delays, increases efficiency and reduces the cost of construction.

“We believe it’s important that licensed trades are responsible for the work they complete.”

Labour’s acting building and construction spokesperson, Kieran McAnulty, is cautious but supportive. “We’re cautiously supporting it. Ultimately, we do need to streamline the building consent process, but we’re cautious because we mustn’t forget why the process came in in the first place,” he said.

Another Leaky Homes Crisis?

“The leaky building saga cost the country and homeowners $11 billion, and I think the concerns that have been raised by many stakeholders urging caution and urging the minister to be careful here are warranted,” Kieran McAnulty added.

The leaky homes crisis with timber-framed homes built between the late 1980s and mid-2000s saw many builds left leaky and rotting.

From the use of untreated timber, monolithic cladding, poor design, inadequate cladding, poor building practices, and insufficient legislation, the crisis has cost the country up to an estimated 23 billion.

Many homeowners are still dealing with the consequences, including major repair costs, declining property values, and health issues.

There is concern that the New Zealand government’s recent move towards self-certification could lead to another leaky homes crisis. Allowing certified building professionals to consent to their work may speed up the building process and reduce costs.

Still, it raises concerns about the potential for reduced oversight and accountability. The move comes with risks, and experts will hold their breath as to its effectiveness.

It’s a polarising move, as builders, plumbers, and politicians may support self-certification, but insurers and bankers may be less likely to back it without significant reassurance.