The Dunedin City Council administers the Building Act and chief building control officer Neil McLeod said provided the wetback or the old burner was installed properly a building consent would be issued.
However, in many cases, adding a wetback or installing an old woodburner would contravene the Clean Air Act, administered by the Otago Regional Council and, therefore the owner could not legally light the fire.
Only woodburners authorised by the Ministry for the Environment after being tested for emissions can now be installed, which rules out installing any of the second-hand fires on to the market since Christchurch tightened its air quality regulations.
Mr McLeod said his staff tried to dissuade people from adding wetbacks or installing old fires.
"Most of the time we can talk them out of it. But, we do get the odd fanatic who has spent $400 buying a second-hand fire and he's adamant he's going to install it.
So, what we do is we simply say: 'Well look, you've been warned. Here's your building consent and we have advised the regional council, so now you've got a fight with them'."
