Tradie Law

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Welcome to TradieLaw, a division of Ford Sumner dedicated to providing legal services to trade businesses. We ‘get’ tradies and the many demands on your time.

TradieLaw is powered by a team of great lawyers at Ford Sumner. We understand the unique aspects of setting up and running a trade business and all of the challenges that come with managing a team and delivering great work to customers. We take care of the legal stuff so you can get on with what you do best. So get in touch with us to find out how we can support you and your business. Imagine more time to manage your projects, supply issues and valuable time onsite with your team.

27/10/2026

“While you’re here, can you just…” 🔨

Sound familiar? Small extras have a way of turning into big disagreements, especially in the pre-Christmas rush when everyone wants their job finished yesterday.

Most building disputes don’t start with a bad job. They start with a handshake agreement on a change that nobody wrote down.

✅ Get every variation agreed in writing before you start the extra work
✅ Note the cost and any change to the timeframe
✅ Keep a record of who asked for what, and when
✅ Make sure your contract sets out how variations are handled

A quick text or email confirming the change can save you weeks of back and forth later.

Already in a disagreement over extra work? The Tradie Law team can help you sort it out 👉 tradielaw.co.nz

21/10/2026

Sick of chasing invoices when you should be on the tools? 💰

Ford Sumner partners Jaesen Sumner and Sarah Churstain explain how Tradie Pay helps you get paid, so you can spend less time chasing and more time building.

✅ Less time chasing payments
✅ Better cashflow for your business
✅ Backed by lawyers who know construction

Find out how Tradie Pay works. Link in bio. 🛠️

17/10/2026

Doing the work is the easy part. Getting paid for it? That’s where it can get messy. 😬

Ford Sumner partners Jaesen Sumner and Sarah Churstain break down two things every tradie should have sorted:

👉 Solid terms and conditions, so everyone knows the deal before the job starts
👉 Protecting your cashflow and knowing what to do when a client won’t pay

A bit of prep now can save you a lot of stress (and money) later.

Need a hand with your T&Cs or chasing a debt? Link in bio. 🔨

24/09/2026

Thinking about taking on an apprentice? Same rules apply as any other employee, plus a few extras. 🔨

Apprentices get the same legal protections as your other staff, but there's a Training Agreement, a Primary ITO, and a formal training plan involved too. Get it wrong and you could be stuck with an unjustified dismissal claim down the track (you can't let an apprentice go once they're qualified, for a start).

✅ Written employment agreement in place before day one
✅ Formal training plan lodged with your ITO
✅ Check if you qualify for Apprenticeship Support Programme funding ($500–$1,000/month for the first two years)

Our factsheet covers what you need to have sorted before you take someone on:
https://tradielaw.co.nz/files/tradielaw/factsheets/tl-factsheet-10---employing-an-apprentice.pdf

16/09/2026

Disputes Tribunal won't cut it when the debt's too big? Here's your next move. ⚖️

For claims over $30,000 (and up to $350,000), the District Court is where unpaid debts get sorted when negotiation and demand letters haven't worked. It's a more formal process than the Tribunal, but it comes with real teeth.

✅ File a Statement of Claim setting out the full story
✅ Ask for summary judgment if there's no real defence
✅ Recover your filing fees and a chunk of your legal costs if you win

Our factsheet walks through the process step by step, so you know what you're in for before you file:
https://tradielaw.co.nz/files/tradielaw/factsheets/tl-factsheet-24---district-court-(1).pdf

11/09/2026

Didn't manufacture the product, just installed it? You can still be liable if it fails. 🔧

Under the Building Act 2004 and the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, contractors can carry the can for defective materials, even ones you didn't make, for up to 10 years. That risk covers removal, replacement and any flow-on damage, not just the faulty product itself.

✅ Choose reputable suppliers and proven products
✅ Keep records of what was specified and by whom
✅ Check your insurance actually covers this

Read the full breakdown of where your liability starts and ends: https://tradielaw.co.nz/tradie-law/resources/are-contractors-liable-for-defective-building-materials-in-new-zealand.html

08/09/2026

Chasing a customer who won't pay and wondering if it's worth taking further? ⚖️

The Disputes Tribunal is a fast, low-cost way to sort out payment and contract disputes without the expense of going to court, but there are limits on what it can deal with and how much you can claim.

✅ No lawyers needed on the day
✅ Lower cost than the courts
✅ Claims capped at a set dollar limit

Our factsheet breaks down when the Disputes Tribunal makes sense for your business, and when it doesn't:https://tradielaw.co.nz/files/tradielaw/factsheets/tl-factsheet-23---disputes-tribunal.pdf

04/09/2026

Got proper Terms of Trade, or just a verbal agreement and good intentions? 🛠️

Terms of Trade are what protect you when a job goes bad, a customer disputes an invoice, or a payment goes missing. Without them in writing, you're relying on goodwill, and goodwill doesn't pay the bills.

✅ Set clear payment terms
✅ Protect yourself if a customer disputes the work
✅ Give yourself something to point to if it ends up in dispute

Grab our free Terms of Trade factsheet to see what yours should cover:https://tradielaw.co.nz/files/tradielaw/factsheets/tl-factsheet-3---terms-of-trade.pdf

28/08/2026

Unpaid invoices shouldn't be the cost of doing business.

Tradie Pay uses the payment claim regime under the Construction Contracts Act to recover what you're owed, fast, fixed-cost, and without the stress of chasing debtors yourself. Letters of demand start at just $350 + GST.

If a debtor doesn't play by the rules, they become liable for the debt and your costs. No further questions asked.

👉 Find out how Tradie Pay (and IPromise) can protect your cashflow, get in touch today: https://tradielaw.co.nz/tradie-law/tradie-pay/

25/08/2026

Chasing an unpaid invoice? Don't just keep sending texts and hoping.

A letter of demand is the simplest, most cost-effective first step to recovering what you're owed, it puts the debt, the deadline, and the consequences of non-payment in writing, before things escalate to court.

Cashflow problems don't fix themselves. A clear paper trail does the talking for you:https://tradielaw.co.nz/files/tradielaw/2026/debt-recovery---letters-of-demand-(updated-2026).pdf

👉 Get in touch about our Letters of Demand service and start recovering what you're owed.

Address

Level 7, 45 Johnston Street
Wellington
6011

Opening Hours

Monday

8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+6449103200

Website

http://tradielaw.co.nz/

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