A contractor who accepted tens of thousands of dollars worth of deposits from consumers for window installation work that was never done has been fined $3,000 and ordered to repay more than $30,000, after enforcement action by the state’s consumer watchdog.

In the Adelaide Magistrates Court, Consumer and Business Services commenced a prosecution against 43 year old Samuel Uhlworm of Brighton for breaches of the Australian Consumer Law.

Uhlworm ultimately pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to supply goods or services in a reasonable time.

The Court heard Uhlworm had been engaged by three consumers in May 2022 to undertake window installation work on properties in Hallett Cove, Walkerville and Kensington Gardens.

Uhlworm accepted deposits totalling nearly $35,000 from the consumers, but never started the work – offering up a range of excuses as to why the work was never done, including personal issues, illness delays in procuring the windows, other jobs taking longer than expected, delays in hearing back from ‘glass and crane guys’.

The court was told each of the defendants suffered a financial loss as a result of Uhlworm’s failure to carry out the work.

“The actions of people like this have the potential to tarnish those decent, honest traders who do the job and do it well,” Commissioner for Consumer and Business Services Brett Humphrey said.

“CBS will continue to support consumers who are in dispute with dishonest traders and take action where appropriate to ensure they’re held accountable for their actions.”

Uhlworm was fined $3,000 and ordered to repay a total of $33,622 to the three consumers.