Complaint process

If your complaint is about a registered or authorised electrical worker, your complaint will be investigated by an Investigator.

Assessing your complaint

Before any complaints are investigated, the Registrar will determine whether the complaint is frivolous or vexatious.

Factors that the Registrar considers are:

  • if there are sufficient grounds on which the complaint has been based
  • whether the complaint has been made within a reasonable time of the events giving rise to the complaint
  • does the complaint have a collateral purpose
  • have the issues raised been dealt with previously

If the Registrar considers that your complaint is of a frivolous or vexatious nature or does not warrant an investigation the Registrar will acknowledge the receipt of your complaint and advise you that no action will be taken.

Next steps

If the Registrar does not consider your complaint to be frivolous or vexatious the Registrar will appoint an Investigator, acknowledge the receipt of your complaint and advise that your complaint will be investigated.

Investigation

As part of the investigation, the Investigator will:

  • provide full details of the complaint to the worker you have complained about. Your name will be released to that person unless you provide very good reasons not to
  • seek additional/supporting information and/or seek clarification of information you have provided
  • seek information from other parties involved and from witnesses
  • give the person complained about the chance to provide an explanation in response to your complaint

The Investigator may:

  • have an independent person investigate the electrical work (usually a registered electrical Inspector)
  • ask that any information (from you or other parties) is supported by a statutory declaration
  • enter any land or premises for the purpose of the investigation (if necessary, a Court Order can be obtained for this purpose)
  • If your complaint is about a non-registered or unauthorised worker or a company the Board will, following investigation, determine appropriate action such as prosecution if justified

The Investigator considers the complaint and the information provided by all parties and prepares an Investigator report for the Board.

A copy of the report will be provided to you and the person you complained about.

If the complaint is about a registered person and the Investigator determines the complaint should not be heard by the Board, the matter ends there. However, if the Investigator determines the complaint should be heard by the Board, the Board must hold a disciplinary hearing to determine whether or not it should exercise its disciplinary powers.

Board hearings

The purpose of the hearing is to determine if a disciplinary offence has been committed by the registered worker you have complained about, and if it has, to decide what disciplinary action and penalties are to be imposed.

Read more about Board hearings.