How to protect your home investment from rogue builders

Buying or building a home is one of the biggest investments many South Africans will ever make. Unfortunately, some homeowners experience poor workmanship, unfinished houses, leaking roofs and cracked walls, or deal with builders who disappear after receiving payment. Across South Africa, complaints about unregistered and negligent builders continue to affect many families and communities.

To combat this, the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) was established to protect housing consumers and improve standards in the home-building industry. 

One of its key responsibilities is to ensure that home builders comply with the law and deliver homes that meet approved building standards.

The problem of poor workmanship

Shoddy workmanship remains a serious challenge in the housing sector. In many cases, homeowners only discover building defects after moving into their homes. Some builders cut corners by using poor-quality materials, ignoring approved building plans, or failing to follow proper construction standards.

Another major concern is the use of unregistered builders. Some consumers unknowingly appoint builders who are not registered with the NHBRC. This places homeowners at significant risk because unregistered builders operate outside the protections provided by the law.

The NHBRC continues to urge South Africans to verify builders before any construction work begins.

What the NHBRC is doing 

The NHBRC is taking stronger action against builders who fail to comply with the law. In terms of the NHBRC Act, builders who contravene the Act may face disciplinary action by the NHBRC Disciplinary Committee.

Penalties may include:

• A formal warning
• A fine of up to R25 000 per charge
• Deregistration of the builder

When a builder is deregistered, the NHBRC publishes the builder’s details in the Government Gazette. This promotes transparency and helps protect the public from dishonest or negligent contractors.

Once deregistration is approved, the builder’s profile is immediately blocked on the NHBRC system. This means the builder can no longer renew registration or enrol homes with the NHBRC.

To improve public awareness and consumer protection, the NHBRC also publishes information on deregistered builders through several platforms, including:

• The NHBRC website - www.nhbrc.org.za  
• The Builder Verification Portal - https://www.eservices.nhbrc.org.za/Home/CertificateVerication 
• NHBRC internal communication platforms
• NHBRC information screens and awareness campaigns

Know your rights as a homeowner

Homeowners have important rights when building a new home.

Before appointing a builder, consumers should always:

• Confirm that the builder is registered with the NHBRC
• Ensure the home is enrolled with the NHBRC before construction starts
• Request proof of enrolment and registration
• Keep copies of all agreements and payment records

Consumers are also encouraged to report suspicious or illegal building activities to the NHBRC.

Did you know?

The NHBRC is strengthening its consumer education and stakeholder engagement programmes to ensure more South Africans understand their housing rights.

Current initiatives include:

• Increased awareness campaigns on homeowner rights
• Improved access to builder information through the Builder Verification Portal
• Quarterly publication of deregistered builders
• Stronger collaboration with municipalities and human settlements stakeholders
• Enhanced monitoring of builder compliance and construction quality

The NHBRC remains committed to building public confidence in the home-building industry and ensuring that South Africans receive safe, quality homes.

The NHBRC can be reached at call 0800 200 824. 

South Africans can use this number to lodge complaints too.