Johannesburg, 19 February 2014 – The National Home Builders Registration Council(NHBRC) has imposed a penalty of R1, 4 million on one of its registered home builders, Woodglaze Trading (Pty) Ltd, trading as Ladybrick, after a Disciplinary Committee found it guilty of 96 counts of contravention of section 14(1) of the Housing Consumers Protection
Measures Act, 1998 (Act No.95 of 1998).
NHBRC CEO Mongezi Mnyani, welcomed the outcome of the hearing, which took place on 31 January 2014, emphasising that Council will not tolerate any shoddy workmanship from homebuilders.
âWe are enforcing our legislative powers through instituting disciplinary proceedings against builders who do not comply with the law. Shoddy workmanship is of great concern to Council and indeed the Minister of Human Settlements and we as the NHBRC are doing our part to ensure that housing consumers are protected,â said Mnyani.
The fine is constituted of 96 counts brought against Woodglaze Trading after a routine inspection found that the home builder had commenced construction of 96 residential units in Newlands West, KwaZulu-Natal, without having enrolled the project with the Council. The Act states that all new homes must be enrolled with the NHBRC 15 days prior to construction.
The Disciplinary Committee found that:
- The actions by Woodglaze Trading (Pty) Ltd are to the detriment of housing consumers who will be left without protection should defects occur
- The builder developed a pattern of enrolling projects late
- The builder did not show any remorse for its conduct
- The builder could have voluntarily enrolled the projects but failed to do so
Woodglaze Trading (Pty) Ltd is to pay the fine within 30 days of the hearing failing which their registration with the NHBRC will be suspended, and withdrawn if not paid within 60 days.
About the NHBRC
The National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) is a statutory body with the responsibility to provide protection in terms of the Housing Consumers Protection Measures Act (Act No.95 of 1998). It is mandated to provide protection for housing consumers and to regulate the home building industry. For more information: nhbrc.azurewebsites.netIssued on behalf of NHBRC
For more information:
Wanda Lubelwana
Manager Corporate Communication
+27 82 796 1805
wandal@nhbrc.azurewebsites.net
Michelle Gololo
Vuma Reputation Management
+27 74 975 4475
michelle@vumareputation.com