If the work has left your roof leaking
Don't go up to check it yourself, and don't let anyone up on a wet roof. Keep out of rooms where the ceiling is sagging, and turn the power off at the switchboard if water is near lights or power points. Then tell the roofer in writing straight away: the law doesn't hold a contractor responsible for damage caused by repairs being put off once a defect shows up.
How do I raise a complaint?
Put it to the roofer in writing
Your contract is with the roofer, so they're the first person who can put it right. Email or text them what's wrong, with photos and dates. Under the Building Act you can notify a defect within 12 months of the work being finished, and the roofer must fix it within a reasonable time. Unless they can show otherwise, the law assumes the defect is theirs to fix.
Tell us
Email info@blufire.com.au with your name, your suburb or town, the roofer's business name and what happened. We'll confirm we've got it within two business days.
We look into it
We'll hear from you and from the roofer, and we aim to resolve it within 30 days. We can't make a roofer redo work or refund you, but we can stop passing them jobs, and every complaint counts when we decide who gets work from us. A complaint also means we recheck that roofer straight away.
If it's still not resolved
Use one of the independent options below. You don't need our permission, and you don't have to wait for us to finish.
Where else can I go in New Zealand?
Disputes Tribunal. The Tribunal hears claims up to $60,000, including whether a tradesperson did the work properly and what they charged. Its decisions are binding, and you can use it even if you signed something saying you wouldn't. The filing fee runs from $62 for claims under $2,000 to $496 for claims of $30,001 to $60,000, and it isn't refunded.
Building Practitioners Board. If the roofer is an LBP, you can complain about negligent or incompetent work, work that doesn't match the building consent, or a record of work they didn't hand over. Complaints go on the Board's own form and can't be anonymous. The Board doesn't deal with payment or contract disputes.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and your council. If someone who isn't licensed did restricted building work, such as a consented re-roof, report it to both.
District Court. Claims between $60,001 and $350,000 usually go here, and bigger or more complex ones to the High Court.
Commerce Commission. You can report misleading conduct by a business, though the Commission doesn't take up cases for individuals.
Your insurer's dispute scheme. If an insurance claim has gone wrong, complain to the insurer first. If it isn't resolved within two months, you can take it to their scheme, either the Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman or Financial Services Complaints Limited. It's free for you, and the decision binds the insurer.
Is there a time limit?
For building work, the Building Act sets a firm one: no claim can succeed if it's brought 10 years or more after the work it's about. Most problems are far easier to sort while the details are fresh, so raise yours early.
Complaints about your personal information
If you think we've mishandled your details, tell our privacy officer at info@blufire.com.au first. If we can't resolve it, you can take it to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. Our privacy policy has the detail.
What we'd do in your shoes
Keep everything in writing from day one: the quote, the contract, photos and every message. Give the roofer one clear, dated chance to fix the problem. If that goes nowhere and the amount is under $60,000, the Disputes Tribunal is usually the most practical next step.