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SA taskforce issues $200k in fines in crackdown on dodgy tradies
A dedicated squad cracking down on dodgy South Australian tradies has issued more than $200,000 in fines since the beginning of the year, as the state government ramps up its strict enforcement.
South Australia has ramped up its crackdown on unlawful tradies, with a dedicated division issuing more than $200,000 in fines to wrongdoers since it began.
The Consumer and Business Services Building Industry Response Team (BIRT) was established in January to crack down on unethical operators and better support South Australian property owners carrying out building work.
The state government said that the squad’s enforcement action has sent a clear message to unlicensed and dishonest builders, plumbers, gas fitters, and electricians who have breached their obligations.
Over the past six months, the taskforce fined Khorshed Alam $75,000 after allegedly claiming to be an “owner builder” of two properties, one in Salisbury and the other in Elizabeth East.
He was expiated for three counts of operating without a licence, and three counts of performing building work without Builders Indemnity Insurance.
Another tradie, Jase Henry of SOS Home Renovations, was fined $25,000 after allegedly offering services as a licensed building work contractor when he was not appropriately licensed.
He received expiations for five counts of operating without a licence, with investigations into other potential breaches ongoing.
Similarly, Mohammed Konneh of MFK Roofing received an expiation of $5,000 for allegedly advertising building work without a licence, following complaints of incomplete and poor-quality work.
In light of the allegations, public warning notices have been issued against each of the tradesmen and others, encouraging consumers not to do business with them and urging them to contact Consumer and Business Services (CBS) if they have not yet reported them.
The state government said the announcement came after a series of policy changes designed to better protect consumers, following the Malinauskas government’s review into the building construction industry.
Previous reforms included increasing the policy limit for building indemnity insurance from $150,000 to $250,000 to better protect people when building a home.
South Australian Consumer and Business Affairs Minister Michael Brown said that for most South Australians, their property was their biggest investment, and the government would do all it could to protect residents.
“Most tradies do the right thing, but we accept no excuses for unlicensed work, missing indemnity insurance, or leaving homeowners stranded,” he said.
“We refuse to tolerate this behaviour. Our dedicated compliance team is actively cracking down on these rogue operators.”
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