Complaint to the Registrar of Contractors: the complete guide for apartment buyers

What is the source of the Registrar of Contractors' authority?

The Registrar of Contractors is a senior division of the Ministry of Construction and Housing. It keeps the Register of Contractors, and only a contractor listed in the Register may carry out building engineering works. Its disciplinary authority derives from the Registration of Contractors for Building Engineering Works Law, 5729-1969:

• Section 8(a)(3): a contractor who "habitually acted contrary to the accepted practice of his profession" is not entitled to be registered.
• Section 8A: where the severity does not justify cancellation of registration, the Registrar may impose disciplinary measures.
• Section 7(b): the Registrar exercises these powers only after consulting an advisory committee appointed by the Minister. Registered contractors may not sit on it.

"Accepted practice" is defined in Regulation 2 of the Registration of Contractors (Undermining of Trustworthiness and Conduct Contrary to Accepted Practice) Regulations, 5749-1988. Three of its paragraphs are particularly relevant to apartment buyers:

• Paragraph (2): a contractor does not breach sale contracts.
• Paragraph (6): a contractor performs the works at a level and quality consistent with his contractual obligations and with the professional requirements of his branch.
• Paragraph (10): a contractor answers every written inquiry addressed to him.

What can you complain about?

According to the Ministry of Construction and Housing service page, a complaint may concern two types of matters:

• Construction defects during the inspection period: defective works carried out by a registered contractor during the inspection period under the Sale (Apartments) Law, under the inspection period set in the contract, or under a final judgment. For example dampness, cracks, flooring and unfinished works.
• Actual breach of the sale contract: for example late delivery of the apartment, failure to register the apartment in the Land Registry, or failure to deliver what was promised in the technical specification.

What will the Registrar not handle?

• A contractor who is not listed in the Register. Before filing, check in the Register of Contractors on the Ministry website who the registered contractor is.
• A matter pending before a court. While legal proceedings on the same matter are under way, the Registrar will not handle the complaint.
• Monetary compensation and financial disputes. According to the service page, handling a complaint "is not an arbitration proceeding", and the Registrar does not decide disputes between the parties to the contract.
• Ordering repairs. The Registrar has no power to order the contractor to repair or to award the injured party monetary relief (State Comptroller Report 68C, 2018).
• Changes made by the buyer. Under the complaint-handling guidelines, if it is shown that the buyer carried out works or alterations in the property after taking possession that may affect the defect, the complaint will not be referred to the advisory committee.

The company that sold me the apartment is not a registered contractor. Whom do I complain about?

Many companies that sell apartments, including some of the largest companies in the industry, are developers only and are not listed in the Register of Contractors. The construction works are carried out for them by an executing contractor (a subcontractor), who is the registered contractor.

In such a case a complaint cannot be filed with the Registrar against the selling company itself, because it is not a registered contractor and the Registrar has no authority over it. A complaint can be filed against the registered executing contractor who carried out the works. The executing contractor's name appears on the sign at the building site, in the building permit or in the specification, and its registration can be checked in the Register of Contractors.

Note the distinction: a complaint against the executing contractor fits defects in the quality of the work (Regulation 2(6)). Breaches of the sale contract itself, such as late delivery or failure to register in the Land Registry, are obligations of the selling company. Where the seller is not a registered contractor, these can only be pursued in civil proceedings against it.

If there is no compensation, why complain at all?

• Practical effect: according to the complaints coordinator, as reported to the State Comptroller, contractors usually repair the defects in order to avoid disciplinary measures.
• A record in the contractor's file: when examining a complaint, the committee also considers previous complaints against the contractor. A complaint that did not lead to a sanction remains in the file.
• On-site inspection: in an engineering complaint, the Registrar may send an inspecting engineer on its behalf.
• No filing fee: filing the complaint itself is free of charge.

How do you file a complaint with the Registrar of Contractors? Four stages

Stage 1: A written demand to the contractor

Write to the contractor and demand that the defects or breaches be remedied. Only if the contractor did not deal with the demand or did not reply do you turn to the Registrar. The same letter also serves as notice under Section 4A of the Sale (Apartments) Law and preserves your rights in a future lawsuit. You can use the notice letter generator.

Stage 2: Filing the online form

The complaint is filed through the online form "Filing a complaint about a contractor" on gov.il. Under the guidelines, a complaint not filed on the form is returned to the complainant. Attachments may be in PDF, TIF, JPEG and PNG formats only. A complaint about the common property is best filed through the condominium representation (house committee).

Stage 3: Examination vis-a-vis the contractor

• The contractor's response: the Registrar sends the complaint to the contractor by registered mail, and the contractor must respond within 14 days.
• The complaints committee: the committee meets once a week and reviews the complaint and the response. Where there is no breach, or the breach is minor, the complaint is closed.
• Inspecting engineer: in an engineering complaint the file may be passed to an inspecting engineer, who visits the property after notice to both parties and classifies each defect as severe, moderate or minor.
• Response to the findings: where a breach is suspected, the contractor is given 14 days to respond to the findings.
• A contractor who ignores the Registrar: a reminder is sent. If there is still no response, a "warning" is entered in the contractor's file, and if the contractor does not act within a further 30 days, its registration is cancelled.

Stage 4: The advisory committee and the Registrar's decision

In appropriate cases the file is referred to the advisory committee. The contractor is invited to present its arguments, the committee makes a recommendation and the Registrar decides. The decision is sent to the contractor and to the complainant. The considerations include:

• the severity and number of the breaches;
• previous complaints against the contractor;
• the extent of the defect relative to the scope of construction;
• how the contractor dealt with the complaint;
• steps taken to prevent recurrence.

The stages are described according to the complaint-handling guidelines published by the Ministry of Construction and Housing in response to a freedom of information request, and according to the State Comptroller's report.

What disciplinary measures can the Registrar impose?

Under Section 8A of the Law, where the Registrar finds that the severity does not justify cancellation of registration, it may impose one or more of the following:

• A warning.
• A reprimand.
• A fine: up to NIS 30,000 under the Fine Regulations, linked to the consumer price index and updated annually by notice in the Official Gazette.
• Suspension of registration in the Register for a period set by the Registrar. The suspension may be conditional, for a conditional period of one to three years.

Where the severity so justifies, the registration is cancelled (Section 8(a)(3)). A contractor whose registration was cancelled on this ground may not apply for registration again until three years have passed (Section 8(b1)).

An example from a published decision: in the Registrar's decision of 26 January 2020 concerning D. Hayek Building Company Ltd., a one-year conditional suspension and a fine of NIS 39,000 were imposed for breach of Regulation 2(6) in relation to safety at work sites. The ground there was not construction defects in an apartment, but the decision illustrates the type of sanctions.

Can the Registrar's decision be appealed?

Yes. "A person who considers himself aggrieved" by a decision of the Registrar under Sections 7, 8 or 8A may appeal to an appeals committee (Section 9), chaired by a retired District Court judge (Section 10). The appeals committee's decision may be appealed to the Court for Administrative Affairs (Section 11(c)). The published decision stated a 30-day period for filing an appeal with the appeals committee.

Which documents should be attached?

• The sale contract and the technical specification, and if possible the building plan.
• The delivery protocol.
• An engineer's report, in an engineering complaint.
• Dated photographs of the defects.
• Copies of the correspondence with the contractor, including the letter from Stage 1 and proof of delivery.
• A judgment, if there is one.

How long does it take, and how much does it cost?

• Cost: filing the complaint itself is free of charge. However, a good complaint usually relies on an engineer's report and precise legal drafting, both of which have a cost, as in preparing a lawsuit.
• Timelines: no binding deadline is set for completing the examination. The guidelines include stages of 14 days for the contractor's response and 30 days at the warning stage.
• Follow-up: the status of the complaint is reported by SMS. The Registrar's telephone line (02-5847847) operates on Sundays between 9:00 and 11:00, for general matters only.

A complaint to the Registrar or a lawsuit: which suits you?

• A complaint before a lawsuit suits cases where you want to push the contractor to repair without legal proceedings, and there is still time before the limitation period runs out.
• A lawsuit suits cases where the defects are substantial, previous repairs failed or deadlines are approaching. See repair or compensation.
• The order of steps matters: under the guidelines, "a complaint against a contractor will not be handled while legal proceedings are under way in the same matter". The wording does not distinguish between a lawsuit filed before the complaint and one filed after it. Filing a lawsuit on the same matter while the complaint is being examined is therefore expected to stop its handling for as long as the legal proceedings continue. The guidelines do not state that the complaint is cancelled: after a final judgment you may apply again, and the complaint will be handled according to the procedure. A lawsuit on a different matter does not prevent handling.
• A judgment that was not complied with: after a final judgment you may apply to the Registrar again, for example where the contractor does not carry out repairs under the judgment.

When is it worth involving a lawyer?

The Ministry of Construction and Housing itself recommends getting professional help in drafting the complaint: an engineer for a technical complaint, and a legal professional for a complaint about breach of contract. A lawyer can also help decide whether to complain, sue or combine the two, without missing deadlines. You can send the contract and the delivery protocol for review.

Sources

• Registration of Contractors for Building Engineering Works Law, 5729-1969: Sections 7, 8, 8A, 9, 10 and 11 (including Amendment No. 8, 2025).
• Registration of Contractors (Undermining of Trustworthiness and Conduct Contrary to Accepted Practice) Regulations, 5749-1988: Regulation 2.
• Registration of Contractors (Fine Amount) Regulations, 5748-1987.
• gov.il: Filing a complaint about a contractor (updated 1 September 2026).
• gov.il: Registrar of Contractors Division.
• Guidelines for handling residents' complaints at the Registrar of Contractors (published in response to a freedom of information request).
• Decision of the Registrar of Contractors concerning D. Hayek Building Company Ltd., 26 January 2020.
• State Comptroller, Annual Report 68C (2018), "Registration of Contractors", pp. 446-447: in 2014-2016, 105 complaints were filed with the Registrar, about 30% of them concerning dampness and waterproofing.

The sources were checked on 26 October 2026.

About the author

Adv. Amos Ilan is a lawyer (license no. 35320) and notary (license no. 214444). The office, at 17 Tzahal Street in Ness Ziona, handles real estate transactions, construction defects, condominium disputes and civil litigation. Alongside his legal work he has practical knowledge, not based on formal training, of engineering, property appraisal and electrical and building systems, and he personally conducts the cross-examination of experts in construction defect cases.