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A Victorian tradie is facing legal action after allegedly accepting excessive deposits and failing to carry out fencing and concreting tasks.
Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) has cracked down on a tradie over alleged building work-related offences, including failing to provide services.
Austin Bongart, 27, was trading as Aussie’s Concrete and Fencing Solutions when the offences were allegedly committed between April 2022 and January 2024.
CAV alleges Bongart accepted excessive deposits and failed to provide the agreed services within a reasonable time.
In addition, he is alleged to have entered into a major domestic building contract while unregistered, and failed to provide an information statement to a customer as required.
In Victoria, builders are required to be registered with the Building and Plumbing Commission if they are carrying out works valued at over $10,000.
Bongart, who advertised his services online, was investigated after consumers complained that he had taken upfront payments, and reportedly never returned to start tasks or failed to finish the job.
The upfront payments Bongart allegedly accepted from customers were reportedly often for several thousand dollars.
Bongart is due to face the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court for a committal mention on 4 August.
CAV advised consumers to take caution when hiring a tradie, including getting more than written quote, asking connections for references, and researching the business before contacting.
“Be wary of anyone pressuring you to sign up and hand over a large deposit,” the regulator concluded.
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