Warnbro bathroom renovator Steven Morrison fined $7500 for excessive deposit & shoddy work

A Warnbro bathroom renovator was fined $7500 for taking an excessive deposit and not fixing shoddy work when required to do so.

Steven Morrison pleaded guilty at Rockingham Magistrates Court on November 11 to disregarding a building remedy order, taking an excessive deposit and failing to provide a compliant contract.

The court was told homeowners in Secret Harbour paid a $2050 deposit for work valued at $10,250 including stripping the existing bathroom and installing a new shower, bathtub, tiling and finishes.

The quote was unsigned and did not include all the terms and conditions of the agreement, including the deposit, as required by the Home Building Contracts Act 1991.

The deposit covered 20 per cent of the contract price which is far higher than what a home-building contractor can legally take, which is 6.5 per cent, before any work commences.

A Building and Energy inspector later identified issues with Morrison’s work in the shower, where the tiling gradient was insufficient for proper water drainage and the mixer tap was incorrectly installed and not square to the grout lines.

The Building Commissioner issued a building remedy order to fix the defects but said Morrison did not carry out the required work.

He was fined $7500 and ordered to pay $650 in costs.

Building Commissioner Saj Abdoolakhan said disregard of legal protections for consumers was unacceptable.

“The limits and requirements set out in law ensure homeowners are not left out of pocket for excessive deposits and have correct contractual documents in the event of issues with a home building project,” he said.

“Similarly, compliance with a building remedy order is mandatory. The penalties in this case should remind building service providers of their legal obligations and community expectations.”