The State’s building industry regulator has cancelled the licence of a Newton landscaper convicted for working outside the scope of his licence.
Earlier this year, Consumer and Business Services prosecuted 54 year old John Limone for numerous breaches of the Building Work
Contractors Act after engaging in unlicensed building work.
Over the course of a year, Limone solicited work under the business name ‘All Type Landscaping & Gardening’.
While he was licensed to carry outfencing work excluding brick brush and pool fencing and general repairs, Limone accepted jobs well outside the scope of his licence, which included paving and the construction of retaining walls.
He accepted thousands of dollars in payments from seven consumers for work that he either didn’t start, failed to complete or completed to a poor standard.
In one case he invoiced a consumer for fencing materials he falsely represented would be supplied by Stratco, instead using what appeared to be substandard materials.
In another, he was paid $11,000 in advance to remove a brush fence and replace it with a Colourbond fence, paving and other work to the garden, but only removed the brush fence and completed various minor and unwanted works before ceasing contact with the consumer.
At the time of this year’s prosecution, Limone already had convictions for similar offending over the same period.
“This individual sought to deceive consumers and take their money for work that – in the rare instance it was completed – was substandard,” Commissioner for Consumer Affairs Dini Soulio said.
“The manner and consistency of the offending was of great concern to me, which is why I formed the view his licence should be cancelled.
“This should send a clear message to those operators who try to buck the system that Consumer and Business Services will thoroughly investigate complaints and take action where appropriate.”
Limone had been fined $42,500 and ordered to repay the five consumers a total of $27,713.68.
Consumers with concerns about the quality of work undertaken by their builder should contact CBS on 131 882 for advice.
