Why Plumbers Are Licensed
Illawarra Mercury
Thursday May 11, 2000
Because of its importance to health, plumbing was the first trade in NSW to require a licence.
Bubonic plague swept through inner suburbs of Sydney in the early 1900s, killing more than 100 people.
The Fair Trading Department said that following this outbreak, government health authorities produced plans to ensure such a thing never happened again.
A new sewerage system was constructed and training standards for plumbers reviewed with the result that it was the first trade in NSW to require a licence.
A department spokesman said before a plumber's licence was issued, applicants had to meet certain criteria which included having completed an apprenticeship and appropriate trade training course.
And while licensing had never been an iron-clad guarantee of customer satisfaction, it was a good starting point.
``If the plumber has a record of poor service or faulty workmanship, Fair Trading can take steps to suspend or revoke the licence so there is a strong incentive for licensed plumbers to do the job properly," the spokesman said.
``Householders who employ unlicensed `cowboys' could find they are not getting value for money. When the authorities find out about the unauthorised plumbing work, householders can be ordered to rectify the situation that can cost a small fortune."
Mistakes by unlicensed plumbers posed serious health risks.
``Plague and other killer diseases of those early years remain a distant memory because of the giant strides made in public health and by using licensed plumbers, home owners can help keep it that way," he said.
© 2000 Illawarra Mercury
