An unlicensed contractor who stole from one client and whose work was of such a poor standard his clients had to spend tens of thousands of dollars fixing it has been fined $15,000 and ordered to repay one of his victims $20,000 in the Adelaide Magistrates Court for breaches of the state’s Building Work Contractor’s Act.

38-year old Amir Armini Mehr, of Marden, pleaded guilty to breaches of the Act, admitting to carry out work as a building contractor when he wasn’t licensed to do so.

The Court heard Mehr accepted payments totalling nearly $25,000 for building and renovation work in a client’s unit – but some of the work was incomplete and the rest was of such a poor standard that the client needed to pay more than $20,000 to finish and rectify the work.

In addition, Mehr had already been convicted and sentenced to five months imprisonment for stealing jewellery from this client while conducting the work in their home.

The court heard a second client paid Mehr a total of $25,000 for renovation work, and the work was so poor that they had to spend nearly $20,000 to redo wiring, tiling and plumbing as a result.

Today, Mehr was convicted and fined $15,000 and ordered to pay $20,000 in compensation to the first client.

The second client had an earlier compensation order made as a result of earlier charges.

Commissioner for Consumer Affairs Dini Soulio encouraged any consumer looking to hire a building contractor to do their homework and check to ensure the builder had a valid licence.

“Visiting the CBS website to check the register can give consumers confidence that the person they hire is licensed and qualified to do the job,” he said.

To check whether a builder is licensed, head to the CBS Public Register available here.

To raise concerns about a contractor, contact CBS on 131 882.