• False home indemnity insurance certificate provided
• Building Services Board issues $3,500 fine
• Building  permit application attempts to mislead permit authority

The Building Services Board has issued a $3,500 fine to a Port Kennedy building contractor for providing a false certificate of home indemnity insurance (HII) to a permit authority as part of a building permit application.

The Board found that building contractor Go2 Group Pty Ltd (BC101522) engaged in misleading conduct by providing the City of Stirling with a false certificate of HII to obtain a building permit for additions and alterations to a dwelling in Karrinyup.

According to information presented to the Board, the site where proposed additions and alterations were to commence is owned by the building contractor’s sole director.

The City’s assessment of Go2 Group’s application found that insurance provider QBE had not issued a HII certificate for the work. The documentation supplied corresponded to a certificate previously issued for another address.  

HII protects owners against financial loss during the construction period and six years from the date of practical completion, if a builder cannot complete residential building work or meet a valid claim for faulty or unsatisfactory building work because of death, disappearance or insolvency.

As a result of failing to provide the required insurance, the City refused to grant the application for a building permit and the work did not proceed.

Go2 Group cooperated with the investigation and gave consent for the Building Services Board to deal with the disciplinary complaint.

Building and Energy Executive Director Saj Abdoolakhan said providing a false insurance certificate is a serious matter that undermines the integrity of the building approvals system.

“In this instance, the building work did not commence. Without the required insurance, the commencement of the work would have put any potential future owners at risk,” he said.

“Conduct such as this is not acceptable. Registered building contractors are required to follow proper processes and work to high standards.”

Home owners should always ensure they receive a copy of the HII certificate from their builder before any work starts and before they make any payment to the builder.

To confirm that the Certificate of Insurance your builder has provided is issued by QBE, owners can search QBE’s Builders Warranty Insurance Certificate Register.

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Media contact: BEmedia@dmirs.wa.gov.au