A client complaint lands with QBCC. An inspector turns up on site. Weeks later, a letter arrives in your inbox headed “Direction to Rectify” — and suddenly you’ve got 35 days to fix work you thought was finished, on a job you may have already been paid for and moved on from. If you’ve never dealt with a QBCC Direction to Rectify before, the letter can feel like it’s come out of nowhere, and the clock doesn’t stop just because you’re busy on three other sites.
It’s a gut punch. You did the job, you got paid, and now someone’s saying it’s defective. But how QBCC’s directions to rectify (DTR) process works, and what happens if you ignore it, is exactly the kind of detail that separates a contractor who fixes the issue and moves on from one who ends up with demerit points, a court date, or a licence under a show cause notice.
What triggers a Direction to Rectify
A DTR starts with a complaint. If a client believes work you’ve carried out is defective, they can lodge it with QBCC — but only while the contract is still on foot at the time the complaint is lodged. QBCC will then typically inspect the site, and if it agrees the work is defective, it can issue a direction to you, and to any relevant licensed subcontractor, requiring you to rectify it.
This isn’t a change to the law or to QBCC’s discretion on when to act. What it does confirm is that principal contractors remain responsible for the proper supervision of all building work carried out under their contract — including work done by their subbies. That’s the detail a lot of head contractors miss: a DTR against a subcontractor doesn’t automatically let the principal contractor off the hook.
The 35-day rectification window
In most cases, QBCC gives you 35 days to rectify the defective work once a direction is issued. The property owner is required to provide reasonable access so you can actually carry out the rectification — but access issues aside, that window is tight if you’re juggling other contracts, waiting on materials, or disputing whether the work is defective at all.
Thirty-five days sounds like a lot until you’re trying to schedule a trade back onto a completed job, source a matching product that’s been discontinued, or get a homeowner to agree on access dates. Treat the day the direction is issued as day one, not the day you get around to reading the letter properly.
What happens if you don’t comply
This is where the real risk sits. QBCC’s own guidance sets out a list of actions it can take against a licensee who fails to comply with a direction to rectify, and none of them are minor:
- Applying up to 10 demerit points to your licence
- Prosecuting you in the tribunal or courts, with a maximum penalty of $43,175 for an individual and $215,875 for a company
- Fining you a penalty of up to $3,454
- Taking disciplinary action through the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) or the courts
- Applying conditions to your licence
- Issuing a show cause notice that can lead to suspension or cancellation of your licence
Delaying or obstructing rectification work carries its own separate penalty risk too. And here’s the part that catches people out months or years later: QBCC records each DTR as either complied or not complied on your public licence record. That record doesn’t disappear — it’s there for future clients, financiers, and QBCC itself to see. Ten demerit points might not sound like much next to the 30-point threshold that triggers automatic licence cancellation, but stack a DTR non-compliance on top of an existing point balance and you can find yourself a lot closer to losing your licence than you realised.
Where subcontractors and head contractors sit in the process
If the defective work was carried out by a subcontractor, QBCC will generally look to issue the DTR to that subcontractor first. If the subcontractor doesn’t comply, QBCC can take disciplinary action against them — and then issue a DTR to the principal contractor instead. At that point, the principal contractor is on the hook to either rectify the defect themselves or engage another licensed contractor to do it, at the principal contractor’s own cost.
That’s an expensive position to end up in over a subcontractor’s non-compliance you had no direct control over. If you’re a head contractor running multiple trades on a job, this is exactly why proper supervision records matter: subcontract agreements in writing, clear records of payments and variations, photos of compliant work before the next trade covers it over, and a documented trail of site decisions and inspections. None of that stops a complaint being lodged, but it’s the difference between a quick, evidence-backed rectification and a drawn-out dispute where you’re rebuilding your case from memory.
If you’re staring down a DTR right now, or you want your supervision and record-keeping tightened up before one lands, a strategy session with QBCC Express is the fastest way to work out exactly where you stand and what to do in the days you’ve got left on the clock.
Your rights if you disagree with the direction
A DTR isn’t necessarily the final word. QBCC decisions, including directions to rectify, can be subject to internal review, and from there to external review through QCAT if you still disagree once that internal process is finished. The catch is that review rights run on their own strict clock — miss the window to apply and you can lose the right to challenge the decision at all, leaving the 35-day rectification requirement standing regardless of whether you think the finding was fair.
If you believe the direction is wrong, get advice quickly rather than letting the rectification deadline and the review deadline run side by side without a plan for both.
A Direction to Rectify is one of QBCC’s most common enforcement tools — more than 1,200 were issued in each of the last two reporting years — so it’s not a rare event reserved for cowboy operators. Ordinary, licensed contractors get them over genuine disputes about workmanship, scope, or standards. What decides the outcome is how quickly and how properly you respond in the days you’ve got. If you want a clear read on your options, get in touch through a strategy session before the 35 days run out.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to comply with a QBCC Direction to Rectify?
In most cases, QBCC allows 35 days from the date the direction is issued to rectify the defective work. The property owner must provide reasonable access for you to complete the rectification within that period.
What happens if I don’t comply with a Direction to Rectify?
QBCC can apply up to 10 demerit points to your licence, fine you up to $3,454, prosecute you in the tribunal or courts (with maximum penalties of $43,175 for an individual and $215,875 for a company), apply conditions to your licence, or issue a show cause notice that can lead to suspension or cancellation.
Does a Direction to Rectify against my subcontractor protect me as the head contractor?
Not automatically. Principal contractors remain responsible for proper supervision of all building work under their contract. If a subcontractor fails to comply with their DTR, QBCC can issue a direction to the principal contractor instead, who must then rectify the defect or pay another licensed contractor to do it.
Does a Direction to Rectify show up on my public licence record?
Yes. QBCC records each DTR as either complied or not complied on the relevant licensee’s public record, where it can be seen by future clients and financiers as well as QBCC itself.
Can I challenge a Direction to Rectify if I disagree with it?
Yes, QBCC decisions including directions to rectify can be subject to internal review and, if unresolved, external review through QCAT. These review processes run on their own deadlines, so seek advice quickly rather than waiting until the rectification period is close to expiring.
