Our complaints process

Complaints 

The complaints process provides a mechanism to lodge a complaint with BPEQ about conduct in the carrying out of a professional engineering service by a RPEQ, which may give rise to grounds for disciplining that RPEQ. Information provided with a complaint may also lead to the prosecution of offences against the PE Act by unregistered persons.

BPEQ has the power to investigate the conduct of a RPEQ as the subject of a complaint. Where appropriate, investigation may lead to a disciplinary sanction (caution, reprimand), a disciplinary proceeding, prosecution or deregistration.

BPEQ must have sufficient information to consider whether to investigate and ultimately, whether grounds exist for disciplining the RPEQ.

A common ground for disciplining RPEQs is unsatisfactory professional conduct which includes:

• conduct that is of a lesser standard than that which might reasonably be expected of a RPEQ by the public or the RPEQ’s professional peers

• conduct that demonstrates incompetence or a lack of adequate knowledge, skill, judgement, or care in the practice of engineering

• misconduct in a professional respect

• fraudulent or dishonest behaviour in the practice of engineering

• other improper or unethical conduct.

If you would like to inform BPEQ about the conduct of an unregistered person which may give rise to an offence against the PE Act, then you may send relevant information to BPEQ.

Offences include a person:

• claiming to be or allowing themselves to be held out as a RPEQ

• using the title ‘RPEQ’ when not registered

• carrying out professional engineering services when not registered or not under the direct supervision of a RPEQ.

For more information about what the Board cannot do, please visit the What the Board can and cannot do page. 

General complaint process flow chart

How to complete the complaint form

As part of the complaint form you will be required to provide details about yourself, the person you are complaining about, details about what happened and provide supporting evidence.

Details you provide will be used to:

• keep you advised of the progress of the complaint

• contact you directly should we require further information

• ensure all correspondence is delivered to the correct person

• identify persons the subject of the complaint

• decide whether to investigate.

You must complete the declaration on the form by affixing your formal signature and date to confirm the information you have provided is correct and also confirm that you understand that the information in the Complaint Form may be made available to other parties.

Your privacy

Please refer to the full terms of the Privacy Statement on the Complaint Form.

If you want your personal details withheld from the person complained of, please notify BPEQ of same while making your complaint. BPEQ can remove your personal details (name, contact details, address, etc.) from the copy of the complaint provided to the respondent person, but BPEQ cannot de-identify the complaint nor can it guarantee anonymity. Most complainants are identifiable by reason of the nature and content of the complaint and supporting documents. That should be kept in mind if anonymity is important to you.

Now that you understand our complaint process, please use the link below to file a complaint.