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WA roofer stung with $16k fines
A Western Australian roof repairer has been fined for failing to complete works for which he had accepted deposits, sparking a reminder for landlords to properly vet their tradespeople.
Joshua Benjamin Reardon of Anytin Roofing, based in Canning Vale in Perth’s south, faced four charges relating to accepting payments for services he never completed between January 2023 and August 2024.
Reardon pleaded guilty to the four counts and was ordered by the Magistrates Court to pay more than $16,000 in fines, compensation and costs.
He was ordered to pay $9,000 in fines, repay $5,900 in compensation to the affected customers, and pay $1,228.30 in costs.
The uncompleted works included roof repairs, insulation batts installation, gutter replacements and a carport installation, and Reardon had not set an expected timeframe on when the job would be completed
At sentencing, the Magistrate said the penalty was needed to send a clear message to others in the industry and that it would have been higher had the compensation order not been imposed.
Commissioner for consumer protection Tim Banfield said that it was important that consumers felt they could trust traders to complete the works they had agreed to.
“In this case, that trust was completely misplaced. Taking people’s money, doing little or no work and then withholding the refunds they were entitled to is completely unacceptable, and consumers deserve better than that,” Banfield said.
He said that enforcement action was an important part of ensuring that consumers felt confident in the tradespeople they were spending money on.
Banfield said that while most tradespeople did the right thing by the customer, it was important that they took steps to protect themselves and their investment.
“Before hiring a tradie, take a moment to read reviews and check their track record. A quick online search might save you a lot of stress later.”
Additionally, to further protect themselves, Banfield said that consumers should obtain a written quote and an expected timeframe for the project, and avoid paying large upfront deposits.
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