Six signs your builder or plumber is not registered

Published on 03 November 2021

The Victorian Building Authority (VBA) has released its top six warning signs for identifying an unregistered builder or an unregistered or unlicensed plumber.

Building a house or renovating is often the biggest investment most people will ever make, so it is important homeowners protect themselves from unqualified and unregistered building practitioners and plumbers.

Homeowners should take basic steps to minimise the risk of things going wrong and costing more money in the long term.

You need to do your research and ask for some key information up front, so there are no surprises. Victorians should be wary of anyone offering their building or plumbing services on online marketplaces and through apps, consumers should always check the credentials of anyone advertising.

You can check whether the builder or plumber you’re looking to use is registered with the VBA and whether they’ve faced any disciplinary action.

The VBA’s top six warning signs for identifying an unregistered builder or plumber are:

No results are found when you type their name into the VBA’s ‘Find a Practitioner’ tool
They do not ask you to enter into a written contract before the project starts
They ask for too much money up front or at each set payment stage. By law in Victoria, a deposit can be no more than five per cent of the total project cost (for projects over $20,000)
They are not prepared to tell you about, or show you, examples of recent work or provide contact details of their former clients
They cannot or will not show you their VBA ID card – which details who they are and what classes of work they are registered (or in the case of plumbers, licensed) to do
They don’t provide you with a copy of their domestic building insurance policy or a certificate of currency covering your property before construction begins.

The VBA is currently investigating a number of unregistered people advertising their services through online forums. Victorians can visit vba.vic.gov.au/check to make sure their builder or plumber is registered or licensed.