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| Are your Tradespeople Licensed? 4 replies 5 voices |
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Emily Sim
on Dec 21, 2010 2:20am
apmasphere Sydney NSW |
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I don’t think it matters which part of Australia you live in the moment, we all know the drought has broken. Unfortunately that does equate to floods for some parts of the east coast and inland Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. With natural disasters, of which we’re had a few lately – think Black Saturday February 2009 – comes assistance from communities, donations, SES services, fire brigades and in Victoria last week the army. All lending a hand to help the community. Television stations run fund raisers, the community donates clothing and bedding, everybody genuinely gets in and helps out. Well, so I thought… This is a link to a post on The NSW Office of Fair Trading website warning home owners of the Riverina area (southern country NSW) to “Beware of Opportunists” I’ll just add while you’re still lost for words that this is dated the 19th October, so it hasn’t just started to happen, property owners looking to repair damage have been ripped off by opportunist trades people from the very beginning… It’s so disappointing to think that people who don’t currently have a place of their own to live in find themselves vulnerable to these gypsy tradespeople following the swollen river for their next opportunity. Makes you think twice about hiring out of the local paper. This news also makes me think, how often do we check our tradespeople? Are we still in the business of trust first? |
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Kylie Hogan
on Dec 21, 2010 2:48am
Property Manager Ray White Narrabri Narrabri NSW |
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There is a plumber on the Gold Coast in sorta around the Robina area who has been operating for a number of years and he was only an apprentice until he passed his exams only recently. He was using his father’s gold card number to operate and had his father as a comany director to get around it. He also had his mate as a company director who was licenced, but never worked a day of his life in the company itself. He was only there to be the licenced plumber for mr shonky to apparently be apprenticed to. I know this first hand as I unwittingly became involved with him. Unlicenced tradies are out there…. look out. |
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Melanie Seden
on Dec 21, 2010 9:50pm
Property Manager / Business Development Ray White Albany Creek Brisbane Queensland |
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Other than checking ABNs & asking tradespeople to complete a contractor appointment form (I use the REIQ best practice form), what other checks can we do? |
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Kassandra Duvall
on Dec 22, 2010 1:14am
Principal Gold Key Real Estate Gold Coast Queensland |
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Thanks Kylie for giving me that information..I will NOT use him. |
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Franc Vaccher
on Dec 27, 2010 11:44pm
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In NSW at least, you can go to the fair trading website & check a contractor’s licence (as well as a real estate licence/certificate of registration if need be). https://www.licence.nsw.gov.au/LicenceCheck/ Property licence http://www.propertyservicesregister.fairtrading… There are plenty of ways which contractors can attempt to circumvent the requirements of registration eg: by providing labour only up to $X (this is often used for handyman), breaking the job down into 2 or three parts which will then come in under the limits. Remember that the risk then falls on whoever has organised the tradie (esp. if they are not up to speed). Also, also ensure that they are properly insured ie workers comp (not just personal accident – this rules out sole traders), and public liability insurance.
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