A plumber and gasfitter whose substandard work flooded a property three times tried blaming the drainlayer for what happened.

Feilding plumber and gasfitter Aaron Goldsack also installed a gas cooker so poorly it risked endangering the property’s occupants.

WorkSafe NZ said incorrectly installed gas appliances could emit “dangerously high levels” of potentially lethal carbon monoxide.

Goldsack then tried blaming a builder for a gas-powered water heater installed at the same property in a way that it could have leaked gas and ignited if it came loose.

Goldsack has been fined $4500 and ordered to pay $11,286 towards the costs of the investigation, prosecution and hearing after a disciplinary process by the NZ Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board.

The charges arose from work Aaron Goldsack did on a property in the Manawatū-Whanganui region in 2023, including installation of a kitchen sink, water pump and UV filter plus water tanks, and a septic tank. Photo / Yaroslav Astakhov

He was found guilty on three charges of carrying out negligent and incompetent work, and for carrying out sanitary plumbing and gasfitting he was not authorised to do.

The board determined Goldsack’s offending was “moderately serious” because it involved two different forms of work, both of which had defects, and that he had worked outside the limits of his authorisation.

Goldsack did not engage in the hearing process and the matter proceeded by way of formal proof, board chair Martin De Gouw said in a recently published decision.

Negligent and incompetent work

The charges arose from work Goldsack did on a property in the Manawatū-Whanganui region, between January and May 2023.

He was hired by the homeowner to install new piping, bathroom and laundry fixtures, a kitchen sink, water pump and UV filter plus water tanks, and a septic tank.

The counsel for the investigator, Elena Mok, alleged various issues were identified with the work, meaning it had been carried out negligently or incompetently.

The property owner complained to the board in late 2023 about faults with the refurbishment.

Garage flooded, water heater attached by one screw

She first became aware of problems when the water pump and UV filter flooded the garage three times.

She raised the issue with Goldsack, who blamed the drainlayer who had installed the pipe connection.

However, she said in her statement that she had seen Goldsack do this work himself after she showed him around the garage where it was to be installed.

She described how the gas water heater had not been flush to the wall and had been secured by only one screw when Goldsack installed it.

Goldsack provided a photo to the board showing the water heater installed with three screws into the wall, but the property owner believed Goldsack drilled the additional holes after she had lodged her complaint, and when he returned to the property in December 2023 to fix some of the work.

When she photographed the water heater in support of her complaint, there was only one hole drilled in the wall.

Goldsack claimed he fixed the UV filter by installing the correct O-rings he thought would work.

The property owner said the UV filter continued to leak. The work was eventually fixed by another tradesperson.

The homeowner declined to speak with NZME about what happened, saying it had been a very long and stressful process she would like to move on from.

Mok also submitted that Goldsack had installed a gas cooker and water heater at the property and had done all the associated pipework.

Goldsack had also commissioned the gas installation, Mok said.

She said expert evidence confirmed a high risk to health and safety from the issues identified, including the risk of carbon monoxide being produced when the cooker was in use because of incomplete combustion.

There was also a risk of gas leaking from the water heater, which could then ignite if the heater came loose or fell because of inadequate support.

Builder rejects blame claim

Despite Goldsack’s claims that he had installed it properly and that the builder “must have moved it” when installing cladding on the house, the property owner told the board this was not correct, because the cladding had been installed and painted before the water heater was fitted.

The builder also rejected Goldsack’s claim.

He said in evidence to the board that he had first installed the eco-ply cladding, then Goldsack had installed the pipes that would connect to the water heater.

He then installed the battens and painted the cladding, after which Goldsack installed the water heater.

He also said he did not remove the water heater from the wall and reattach it.

Unsupervised work ‘outside limits of licences’

The third charge, now proven, alleged Goldsack had carried out plumbing and gasfitting at the property without the supervision of a certifying plumber and gasfitter.

He was required to be supervised because of a restriction on his licences.

The board said evidence from each of Goldsack’s supervisors established they had not known about the work he had carried out until they were made aware of the complaint.

They said Goldsack’s failure to tell them he was doing the work was in breach of their supervision arrangements.

Each had since removed himself as Goldsack’s supervisor.

Fine remains at starting point

Mok said the purpose of disciplinary proceedings was not to punish but to ensure public protection and to maintain proper industry standards.

The board said there were no personal aggravating factors in this case, but Goldsack’s lack of previous disciplinary offending was offset by his lack of engagement in the hearing process.

The lack of mitigating factors meant the board declined to reduce the fine starting point of $4500, which was the fine imposed.

Goldsack did not respond to NZME’s request for comment.

Tracy Neal is a Nelson-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She was previously RNZ’s regional reporter in Nelson-Marlborough and has covered general news, including court and local government for the Nelson Mail.