Perth registered building contractor PTG Construction and Development Pty Ltd (reg. BC31514) and its director and nominated supervisor Pengtao Wen (BP100575) have been fined a total of $8,000 by the Building Services Board for misleading and negligent conduct.

The conduct related to the fit out of a commercial building in Wellard valued at $116,000 and the construction of a two-storey dwelling in Embleton valued at $197,000 in 2014 and 2015.

The company and Mr Wen were misleading in signing a building permit application naming PTG Construction as the builder responsible for all the Wellard work when it was not. The building permit application was submitted to the City by another party in a practice commonly known as ‘licence lending’.

The company and Mr Wen were negligent in allowing the Embleton property’s owner to employ trades to perform excavation works they were responsible for with no building permit in place. The excavation works caused substantial damage to a neighbouring property, including the collapse of a retaining wall.

The Board fined PTG Construction and Development $5,000 and Mr Wen $3,000.

“As demonstrated by this case, unauthorised practices such as licence lending and building without the required building permit can have serious consequences,” Building Commission Acting Executive Director Ian Munns said.

“The company and Mr Wen’s misconduct resulted in significant personal and in some cases financial loss for the owners of two properties if you include the Embleton site neighbour adversely affected by the unauthorised work.

“This conduct is unacceptable and is not of the standard we expect of registered building service providers.

“The Building Commission and the Building Services Board will continue to hold to account and name those who put the public interest and the reputation of the building industry at risk.”

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