Richard Kaddour, who was also found guilty of performing regulated building work without a written contract, was sentenced in the Brisbane Magistrates Court earlier this month, after the QBCC charged him with the two offences relating to a bathroom renovation at Clayfield.
In addition to the convictions recorded against Mr Kaddour, he was also fined $20,000 and ordered to pay the Commission’s fees of $1,861.
In passing sentence, Magistrate Joseph Pinder considered Mr Kaddour’s history of non- compliance with the QBCC Act, noted that Mr Kaddour was known to the Commission and had never held a licence under the QBCC Act.
QBCC Commissioner, Anissa Levy, says she is pleased with the result as the regulator has zero tolerance for unscrupulous operators.
“Unlicensed building work is illegal, it undercuts hard-working QBCC licensees who do the right thing and will not be tolerated,’’ Commissioner Levy says.
“By stamping out this activity, we are ensuring a level playing field for licensed contractors.
“The laws exist to help protect Queenslanders during the building process. It is imperative that those in the industry are licensed, pay the appropriate home warranty insurance on behalf of the home owner when undertaking building work, and ensure written contracts comply with all requirements.”
Ms Levy advises home owners to carefully check their contract details and seek legal advice before signing to ensure they are aware of their rights and obligations.
“It is essential that home owners undertake due diligence and ensure building work doesn’t start until a contract is signed, and they should not pay for stages of work ahead of time.”
The QBCC strongly encourages consumers to always use the free licence check on the QBCC website to confirm that the person they are dealing with is appropriately licensed.
Background
Unlawfully carrying out building work is an offence under section 42 of the QBCC Act and attracts an escalating series of penalties for each offence.
For a third or later offence, an offender is required to be prosecuted upon indictment before the District Court, as they are alleged to have committed a crime.
A person commits an offence if they provide contracted services for regulated building before a regulated contract which complies with the requirements of the QBCC Act is in place.
The QBCC may issue infringement notices, prosecute or take disciplinary action and apply demerit points, which can lead to loss of licence, potential fines and financial loss for the individual.