Department of Housing and Works - Housing subcontractors lodging a complaint

How to lodge a complaint with Housing and Works

• In the first instance, subcontractors working on Housing and Works-managed housing projects should speak to the Head Contractor of the project to seek resolution. If no resolution has been reached, you may lodge your complaint with Housing and Works online.
• If you are a subcontractor and find yourself in a situation where you are not being paid or are being paid late by a head contractor on a Housing project, you may lodge your complaint with Housing and Works online.

Subcontractor Complaints form

What will Housing and Works do?

When Housing and Works receives your complaint through the online form, we will contact the Head Contractor and advise them of your complaint. The Head Contractor will then be required to provide Housing and Works with a statutory declaration confirming that all subcontractors have been paid in full for work that has been satisfactorily completed. 

Housing and Works may withhold payments to the Head Contractor until the statutory declaration has been received. Where Housing and Works receives a statutory declaration that it reasonably believes may have been falsely made, the matter will be referred to the WA Police for investigation.

If there is a dispute between a Head Contractor and subcontractor about whether the amounts claimed by a subcontractor are actually due (e.g. a dispute over whether the works were completed, the quality of work, or other works-related issues), Housing and Works will refer you to seek independent legal advice or contact Building and Energy or the Small Business Development Corporation​, who may be able to provide resolution assistance.

Housing and Works cannot force the Head Contractor to pay you and will not make direct payments to a subcontractor where the Head Contractor has failed to do so. You should therefore still consider your own appropriate recovery actions.

Note: This information is general in nature and does not take into account specific events or circumstances. This information is not intended to constitute or substitute for legal advice.

What Housing and Works can't do

It is important to be aware that Housing and Works cannot intervene in contractual or monetary disputes between a Head Contractor and a subcontractor. Although a subcontractor may be working on a government project, there is no direct contractual relationship with the State Government and the contract remains between the Head Contractor and subcontractor. 

In the event that enquiries do reveal evidence of a contractual dispute, Housing and Works will inform you of this. In these instances, it is best to seek independent legal advice or contact Building and Energy or the Small Business Development Corporation​, who may be able to provide resolution assistance.

Subcontractor responsibilities

It is the responsibility of subcontractors on construction projects to fully understand their rights and obligations concerning contracts, credit management, debt recovery and dispute resolution before entering into any subcontracting arrangements. 

The information outlined on this page is not legal advice. Subcontractors are encouraged to obtain independent legal advice of their rights and obligations. If the Head Contractor falls into financial difficulty, they may go into receivership, administration or liquidation, and Subcontractors may not receive payment.