By CASEY NEILL
A DANDENONG North father and son team are the subjects of a Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) warning.
Neil Turner, 62, and Robert Turner, 39, trade as Classic Refrigeration and Catering Equipment.
CAV director Claire Noone last week issued a public warning that consumers should not pay for the pair’s services upfront.
She said CAV successfully prosecuted the refrigeration installers in separate cases last year, but had since received further complaints.
“These include allegations that the Turners did not do agreed work and did not refund the customers’ deposits,” Dr Noone said.
“If you do hire them, don’t pay any money until they do the work as agreed.”
It is an offence under Australian Consumer Law (ACL) to accept payment for goods or services but fail to provide them as promised.
In March, Dandenong Magistrates’ Court convicted Robert Turner of breaching the ACL by accepting deposits from two businesses in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs for work he failed to complete.
The court ordered him to repay the businesses more than $6000, fined him $7500 and ordered him to pay $2000 in costs.
Neil Turner was also convicted and fined in Dandenong Magistrates’ Court, in June.
He breached the ACL by taking deposits but failing to do any work.
The court fined him $10,000 and ordered him to pay $8850 in compensation to three consumers, which included a small business.
“Businesses are protected as consumers when they buy goods and services up to $40,000, provided these are not for resale,” Dr Noone said.
She advised consumers to seek at least three quotes for work on their property, check the reputation and references of tradespeople they consider and ensure they have a written contract for work specifying what is to be done and the total cost.
She also said consumers should not pay excessive deposits – more than 10 per cent for jobs under $20,000 – or cash deposits.
