A Mandurah couple has been left thousands of dollars out of pocket after a neighbour falsely claimed to be a registered builder and abandoned their home renovation.

At Mandurah Magistrates Court on 26 August 2025, Paul Anthony Hart was fined $14,500 for four building offences following prosecution by Building and Energy.

Paul told the Dudley Park home owners that he was a registered building contractor and agreed to undertake $24,000 worth of work, including wall removals and a full bathroom replacement. Registration was legally required because the project exceeded $20,000 and needed a building permit, but Paul held no such licence.

He also demanded and received a $12,000 deposit, which is far above the legal 6.5% limit, without providing a written contract or home indemnity insurance. The Building Commissioner has since issued a remedy order requiring repayment of the deposit.

While Paul carried out some demolition and plumbing disconnections, no further progress was made, forcing the couple to spend more than $27,000 on another builder to complete the job.

Paul did not appear in court when he was convicted and fined $8,000 for falsely holding himself out as a registered builder under the Building Services (Registration) Act 2011, $5,000 for failing to obtain insurance, $1,000 for taking an excessive deposit and $500 for a non-compliant contract under the Home Building Contracts Act 1991. He was also ordered to pay $615 in costs.

Building and Energy executive director Daniel Kearney advised home owners to avoid large deposits and also check the building’s service provider’s registration online or through the ServiceWA app.

“This behaviour is unacceptable and has caused significant stress, inconvenience and financial impacts for the homeowners,” he says.

“Home owners should not hand over deposits of more than 6.5% for home building works valued over $7,500. This law protects the homeowner from potential financial loss, which has unfortunately happened in this case. The registration process aims to ensure builders have the appropriate qualifications, skills and experience to deliver safe and compliant buildings.”