Unregistered Perth home renovation company and directors ordered to pay $41,200

Finishmyhome.com.au, an unregistered home renovation company, and directors Paul Edward Ovens and Allesandro Giuseppe Iovene, were successfully prosecuted by the Building Commissioner over registration and contractual offences. They were ordered to pay $41,200 of fines and costs.

The proceedings were finalised in the Perth Magistrates Court earlier this month. Both directors plead guilty to five charges about renovating a Roleystone property between May and August 2011 and a Maylands home between September 2012 and April 2013. The work totalled $296,000.

They did not have the necessary registration or home indemnity insurance.

Building Commissioner Peter Gow said that the actions were plain irresponsible.

“For instance, the absence of home indemnity insurance puts the consumer at significant risk of financial loss if the builder cannot complete the building work or meet a valid claim for faulty or unsatisfactory building work because of death, disappearance or insolvency,” he said.

“Consumers should protect themselves by checking their building service provider holds the required registration or licence before engaging them to carry out work.”

Investors can check the licensing of their builder via an online database.