Southern Highlands and Southern Tablelands September 2025

Summary and key outcomes of our compliance inspections conducted in the Southern Highlands and Southern Tablelands in September 2025.

A view of Goulburn, New South Wales, showing historic buildings and houses surrounded by trees at sunset.

Summary of the inspections

Our practitioner and building compliance teams visited 121 sites across the Southern Highlands and Southern Tablelands regions. 

The inspections focused on: 

  • identifying unlicensed specialist work
  • supervision standards
  • non-compliance in building construction of class 1, 2 and 3
  • non-compliance in electrical installations (including solar system and battery installations)
  • non-compliance in plumbing and draining installations
  • general site compliance.

Towns visited

  • Moss Vale
  • Sutton Forest
  • Goulburn
  • Queanbeyan
  • Jerrabomberra
  • Tralee
  • Googong

Overview of the regional inspection

11
Inspectors
121
Total site inspections

Site types inspected

117
Class 1
4
Class 2

Compliance findings

10
Penalty Infringement Notices issued
7
Intent to issue draft Rectification Orders
4
Building Work Rectification Orders issued

Understanding Rectification Orders for different building classes

Rectification Orders are issued for Class 1 buildings under Part 3B of the Home Building Act 1989.

Building Work Rectification Orders are issued for Class 2, 3 and 9c buildings under Part 5, Division 1 of the Residential Apartment Buildings (Compliance and Enforcement Powers) Act 2020.

26
Written Directions Notices issued for electrical non-compliances
43
Written or verbal trader education

Inspection findings

General compliance

  • Most trades welcomed inspections, and overall licensing and supervision compliance was at a good standard.
  • Several instances of unlicensed subcontracting were identified where corporations held only individual licences.
  • Instances of ACT-based subcontractors found to be operating in NSW without the required licence.
  • A high number of sites had non-compliant builder or certifier signage, although most issues were minor.

Building compliance

  • Weatherproofing non-compliances made up 50% of total defects found. These included 4 instances related to the damp-proof course, 4 related to roof sarking, and 1 related to metal sheet roof fixing.
  • 3 instances of framing non-compliances were identified.
  • 3 masonry non-compliances were found, including brickwork that overhung slabs.

Electrical compliance

  • Solar and solar battery installations were of a high quality.
  • Minor issues were identified, mainly related to device labelling and safety signage.
  • Construction site inspections identified small issues with meter board signage and labelling.

Practitioner compliance and specialist trades

  • Instances of electrical corporations based in the ACT were found to be operating in NSW with only individual contractor licences.
  • Supervision of specialist trades was generally at an acceptable standard, with 2 breaches identified.

Reasons for Penalty Infringement Notices

6
Non-compliant builder or certifier signage
2
Unlicensed work
2
Unlicensed contracting

Why we issued these penalties

Unlicensed work

Section 12 of the Home Building Act 1989 specifies that an individual must be licensed to do residential building work or specialist building work. Penalties apply when work is undertaken by an unlicensed individual.

Contracting requirements

Section 4 of the Home Building Act 1989 sets out the requirements for contracting for residential building work or any specialist work. A penalty can be issued to a licensed person who has contracted with an unlicensed person to do the work under Section 4(2), and to an unlicensed person for contracting when unlicensed under Section 4(1).

Supervision obligations

Section 16 of the Home Building Act 1989 requires licensees to provide adequate supervision of the work carried out under their licence. Penalties apply where supervision is insufficient.

Builder and certifier signage

Clause 32 of the Home Building Regulation 2014 requires builder signage.

Clause 75 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Consent and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021 requires a certifier sign or the name and contact details of a certifier.

Related advisory note

Reports from other regions

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