An SAA Decision or Action

Concerns about an accreditation, compliance or enforcement decision or action taken by SAA

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This page sets out how SAA handles specific accreditation, compliance or enforcement decisions and actions. If your complaint is about an accreditation requirement, process or SAA service generally, please visit An Accreditation Requirement or SAA Service instead.

SAA applies a one-year eligibility limit to complaints about SAA decisions or actions and generally does not assess decisions or actions that occurred more than one year ago. 

Decisions SAA can review 

SAA can consider complaints about our compliance program and decisions or actions taken by SAA. SAA cannot review or change a decision, action or finding made by another organisation.

Open cases with SAA 

Submitting a complaint does not pause or replace an existing application, rectification, show cause or other compliance process. If SAA has asked you to provide information, complete rectification work or respond to a show cause notice, follow the instructions and timeframe in the correspondence you received.  

This complaint process does not replace a formal review or appeal of a compliance or enforcement decision. Any such review or appeal must follow the process set out in SAA’s Compliance and Enforcement Rules (available on the Scheme Administration web page).

Types of SAA decision or action complaints

SAA reviews applications and supporting information in line with its Complaints Management Policy 

This may include accreditation applications and renewals, installation-limit exemption applications, Special Consideration Applications or other applications assessed by SAA. 

SAA can accept complaints about how SAA assessed or handled a specific application decision. Please identify the application, explain your concern and provide any supporting information. 

If your decision notice includes a review process, follow the instructions and timeframe in the notice. Submitting a complaint does not replace a review request or extend the review period. 

SAA may issue a Notice of Rectification Required (NORR) based on the inspection reports we receive from federal and state electrical regulators and from technical non-compliance identified as part of SAA complaints process. 

This may include: 

  • the work SAA has required you to rectify
  • the timeframe provided for rectification
  • the evidence requested as proof of rectification
  • SAA’s assessment of the evidence you submitted
  • further action taken by SAA.

SAA does not determine inspection findings or reassess technical conclusions reached during the independent inspection process.  

SAA manages the rectification process and any accreditation-related action arising from the compliance referral in accordance with the SAA Accreditation Agreement, Code of Conduct and Compliance and Enforcement Policy. 

SAA can consider complaints relating to the rectification process or any accreditation actions resulting from the Notice of Rectification Required.  

Please note, you must continue to follow SAA’s rectification instructions and timeframes while your complaint is being considered. Submitting a complaint does not pause the rectification process or remove your obligation to respond to SAA.

SAA may issue demerit points where technical, safety or other non-compliance with the Accreditation Scheme has been identified. 
 
Read more about demerit points on the SAA Compliance page.

If you believe an error has occurred in how SAA issued or recorded the demerit points, explain the error and provide supporting evidence. 

If your concern is about the underlying inspection or audit finding, you must raise it with the organisation responsible. SAA can only consider whether the demerit points were issued or recorded correctly under its compliance process.

A show cause notice advises that SAA is considering action on your accreditation and gives you an opportunity to respond before a decision is made. 

A notice may be issued for reasons such as an outstanding rectification requirements, accumulated demerit points, incomplete CPD or mandatory training, outstanding accreditation documents or another possible breach of Accreditation Scheme requirements. 

The notice will explain the proposed action, the reason for it, how to respond and the response deadline. 

If the deadline has not passed, respond directly to the show cause notice using the instructions provided. Do not submit a complaint in place of your response. 

You can separately make a complaint about how SAA handled the process, but this will not extend the response deadline or pause the proposed action. 

SAA may suspend or revoke accreditation where an accredited person has not met applicable accreditation, compliance or Accreditation Scheme requirements.  

This may include:

  • unresolved rectification requirements 
  • incomplete training or renewal requirements 
  • accumulated demerit points 
  • failure to respond to SAA. 

The reason for the suspension or revocation and any steps you need to take will be explained in the correspondence you received. 

If you believe the decision was made or handled incorrectly, explain your concern and provide relevant supporting evidence. 

You must continue completing any required actions while your complaint is being processed. Submitting a complaint does not lift or pause a suspension or prevent a proposed revocation from proceeding.

This includes complaints about an SAA compliance or enforcement decision or action that is not covered above. 

Please identify the specific decision or action, explain your concern and provide relevant supporting evidence. 

If SAA has requested information or given you a deadline, you must continue to follow those requirements. Submitting a complaint does not pause or replace the compliance process.

Complaint process

Find out what you need to provide, how SAA will assess your complaint and the possible outcomes.

The complaint must be submitted by the accredited person or applicant directly affected by the SAA decision or action. Another person may only act on their behalf if written authority is provided to SAA. 
 
To help us assess your complaint, please provide:

  • the relevant accreditation, application or reference number
  • the specific SAA decision or action
  • the date you were notified of the decision or action
  • a clear explanation of your concern
  • the outcome you are seeking
  • supporting information, if available.

Supporting information may include the relevant notice or decision, emails or other correspondence, documents previously provided to us, SAA Portal confirmations, a show cause response or evidence showing when information was submitted. 

Providing relevant documents and records will help SAA understand your concern and assess how the decision or action was handled, including any information that may not have been considered. 

Once you submit the online form, SAA will review your complaint and supporting information to confirm that it concerns a specific decision or action taken by SAA. 

SAA will consider the relevant application, decision notice, correspondence, information previously provided and records relating to how the decision or action was made or handled. 

SAA may need to request further information to help assess or progress your complaint. Usually a 3-month period is given to allow you to collect additional evidence.  

SAA aims to review additional information and let you know the outcome within 10 business days. Where an investigation is required, we aim to respond with the outcome within 20 business days. Please note that some matters may take longer, and SAA will let you know the process and timeframes. 

SAA will consider your complaint and the relevant records in line with the SAA Complaints Management Policy and let you know the outcome.  

The outcome can be a confirmation the original decision or action, explanation of how the decision or action was made or handled, correction of an administrative or factual error, or advice of any further steps available. 

Please note that submitting a complaint does not automatically mean that an error occurred or that the original decision or action will be changed. 

A complaint process is separate from any formal review or appeal of the original SAA decision or action. 

If you disagree with the complaint outcome, you can request an internal review in writing within 21 calendar days of receiving the outcome notification, subject to the applicable review requirements. The review considers how your complaint was assessed, investigated or determined. Refer to SAA Complaints Management Policy for more information before submitting a request.

Submit a SAA decision or action complaint

If your complaint relates to a specific accreditation, compliance or enforcement decision or action taken by SAA, you can submit it below, along with supporting information.

Submit a complaint

Frequently asked questions

An accreditation requirement is a policy, rule, condition or process that applies under the SAA Accreditation Scheme. An SAA decision or action is how SAA has applied those requirements to a specific situation such as an application, accreditation or compliance matter. 

If your complaint is about the requirement, process or service generally, please visit An Accreditation Requirement or SAA Service.

If your complaint is about a specific SAA decision or action in relation to your accreditation, use this page.

SAA applies a one-year eligibility limit to complaints about SAA decisions or actions and generally does not assess decisions or actions that occurred more than one year ago. This supports a timely and fair assessment of the circumstances surrounding the decision or action.

Read the show cause notice carefully and respond using the method and within the timeframe stated in the notice. Your response should address the matters raised and include any requested supporting evidence. 

If the response deadline has not passed, do not submit a complaint instead of responding to the show cause notice. A complaint does not count as a show cause response, extend the deadline or pause the proposed action. 

You can separately submit a complaint about how SAA handled the process, but you must still respond to the show cause notice.

No. Submitting a complaint does not pause, lift or replace an application, rectification requirement, show cause process, demerit points, suspension, proposed revocation or another compliance action. 

You must continue to follow any instructions and timeframes provided by SAA while your complaint is being considered, unless SAA advises you otherwise in writing.

No. SAA cannot review or overturn a decision, action or finding made by another organisation. Please contact the organisation directly.

Provide any information that helps explain your concern about the SAA decision or action. This may include:

  • the relevant SAA notice or decision
  • correspondence relating to the matter
  • information previously provided to SAA
  • portal records or submission confirmations
  • records showing why you believe an error occurred.

Explain what you believe was incorrect or not properly considered and how the supporting information relates to your concern.