Immediate suspension

Under the Building Act 1993 (the Building Act), a practitioner's registration can be suspended if:

• for building practitioners, we reasonably believe that a specified ground for immediate suspension exists, or
• for building and plumbing practitioners, we consider immediate suspension to be in the public interest pending a full disciplinary process.

For a building practitioner, one of the specified grounds is that the practitioner is no longer covered by required insurance. In this case, we have no discretion and must proceed to immediate suspension.

Other grounds for immediate suspension (whole or partial, and at our discretion) include the building practitioner:

• being insolvent
• being convicted of a serious offence involving fraud, dishonesty, drug trafficking or violence
• not having a registered building practitioner as a director, if the practitioner is a company
• not complying with the conditions of registration.

Public interest considerations for building and plumbing practitioners include work affecting people’s health and safety or posing a serious risk to property, and repeated disciplinary breaches.

We will provide the practitioner with notice (a show cause notice for building practitioners and a notice of inquiry for plumbing practitioners) either at the same time, or without delay after, the suspension notice is given to the practitioner.

If you have been issued with an immediate suspension notice, you should read the Immediate suspension practitioner guide. It will help ensure you are fully aware of your responsibilities, what to do and where to get further information or advice.

Frequently asked questions

You can submit an enquiry or call us on 1300 067 088.