Tuesday 31 January 2017

Builder to Registrar: “I find it appalling that my means of earning a livelihood is at the mercy of answering to you”

 

One reason the cost of doing building business is so high is that builders and designers in New Zealand no longer have a right to work. The Licensed Building Practitioner regime brought in a few years ago by this National Government took away that right, instead just granting builders and designer bi-annual permission to ply their trade, if and only if that permission is kindly granted by whatever the Building Industry Authority currently chooses to call itself.

One Auckland builder at least has had enough of begging permission from the grey ones, penning this letter back to one Paul Hobbs, who currently has a sign on his door calling him the Registrar of Licensed Building Practitioners:

Dear Mr Hobbs

I am writing to you regarding my legal requirement to pay an annual licensing fee of $199.34.

I would like it noted that I thoroughly object to paying this fee and that I recognise it for what it is. I am not interested in impressing you with my standard of workmanship and I find it appalling that my means of earning a livelihood is at the mercy of answering to you. Needless to say I have always built to an extremely high standard and I still do even though I find myself constantly having to appease people like you who, if not piling me with pointless paper work, you are helping yourself to my earnings.

To be honest, I have about had my fill with working in the building industry.

As for “skills maintenance” what a joke. I am often working with guys who have finished their apprenticeship yet fail to operate fairly simple tasks with any level of skill and understanding. It is as though no one has ever taken these boys under their wing and imparted some knowledge and skill. This is a trend not only recognised by me but I hear it constantly from other business owners.

Without going into detail here I, at least, recognise that such an industry low as we are now in is a testament to the drag that government and council are to the building industry.

Anyway, I have said my piece. I look forward to the day when your gravy train comes to halt and that you and those under your employ are forced to work productively for a living.

Regards

P**** O******

We will keep you up to date with any replies.

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2 comments:

Don Walker said...

Another case of the productive having to get permission from the un productive to produce while having to pay them for the privilege . It's called legalized racketeering carried out by the biggest bunch of mobsters, the gov't .

paul scott said...

But it is so easy just to be angry but do nothing. This guy is doing what hois other comrades could be doing. The 5th Nat Government has been a true disappointment. Key's legacy looks more shallow and transparently vacant by the day. Tansparently vacant?