WORK & BUSINESS LICENSES
Media Releases
20 December 2019

A Greenacres builder has been permanently banned from holding a building licence or being employed as a building work contractor, following disciplinary action taken by South Australia's consumer watchdog.

The District Court found there was proper cause to permanently ban 71-year-old Alessandro Zollo from holding a building licence or registration, being employed as a building work contractor or director, or being employed as a building consultant due to numerous breaches of the state's building laws.

In 1994, Zollo's builder's licence was cancelled after 15 separate breaches of similar laws, and he was disqualified from being licensed or registered.

The disqualification was discharged in March 2000, when Zollo entered into a written undertaking agreeing not to act as a director of a company that held a building work contractor's licence.

The Court was told that while Zollo was able to apply for another licence, he never did - instead establishing the company Built It Pty Ltd in 2011, where he operated as a director for more than three years, in breach of the undertaking.

Judge Liesl Chapman found that Zollo failed to provide certifications of indemnity insurance to three customers, acted improperly in the course of conducting the company's business from 2011 to 2015 and was not a fit and proper person to be a director of the company.

She found Zollo had demonstrated a "determined willingness" to breach the builders' licensing laws and failed to accept any responsibility.

Judge Chapman said "[Zollo's] past actions and ongoing dismissive attitude to the protective regime" indicate that "he is highly unlikely to accept and obey any conditions of a licence should he be permitted to reapply."

Judge Chapman imposed a permanent ban, saying Zollo "has demonstrated no contrition, remorse or insight into his conduct... he deliberately and consciously sought to subvert both his undertaking to the Court and the builders' licensing regime."

Given the permanent nature of the orders, no additional fine was imposed.

"Alessandro Zollo engaged in persistent, wilful behaviour to flout our building laws and bring the industry into disrepute," Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, Dini Soulio said.

"This penalty demonstrates how important it is to do the right thing."

Mr Soulio said that if a consumer has concerns about a building work contractor or building consultant, to check the Consumer and Business Services website at www.cbs.sa.gov.au or contact CBS on 131 882.