Herne Hill tradie Bruno Petrovic accused of ripping off clients

Four separate people have come forward alleging a local tradesman charged more than $175,000 for unfinished work and unsatisfactory work.

Karen Reynolds claims she was ripped off by a tradie. Picture: Alison Wynd

A Herne Hill tradie has been accused of failing to complete work, doing unsatisfactory work and keeping payments made, with at least four separate alleged victims coming forward to tell their stories.

A Geelong Advertiser investigation appears to suggest Branislav (Bruno) Petrovic, a tradesman whose ABN is connected to the trustee of Z & B Constructions trust, has been ripping off clients across Geelong.

He is accused of targeting people searching for work in local Facebook groups, taking deposits, doing unsatisfactory work, not finishing jobs and in one instance, not doing any work.

East Geelong patient service assistant Karen Reynolds said she hired Mr Petrovic in March this year after posting in Facebook group Geelong Tradies looking for someone to replace weatherboards.

She said Mr Petrovic reached out through Facebook messenger, quoted $17,000 for two weeks’ work and said he could start immediately.

Karen Reynolds claims she was ripped off by Bruno Petrovic. Picture: Alison Wynd

Ms Reynolds said she paid Mr Petrovic $4000 on March 15, the day Mr Petrovic began working on the property.

According to Ms Reynolds, she agreed to make part payments to Mr Petrovic as the work was completed and made payments every two days until March 21.

She said while Mr Petrovic’s constant requests for payment were concerning, he was “doing the work and explained he needed money for materials and had accounts for his other works”.

According to Ms Reynolds, after Mr Petrovic started work her concerns worsened.

“It worked pretty well for a while, he quoted me for two weeks,” she said.

“He was really in my face about money all the time, I had to explain to him that I had been burned before and that I didn’t want to pay before.”

Multiple people have come forward claiming Bruno Petrovic has ripped them off. Photo: Facebook

Ms Reynolds said Mr Petrovic suddenly stopped showing up to the property, telling her via text message he was working on another job for a “big company with big money”.

On April 1, Ms Reynolds said she sent Mr Petrovic a text message pleading him to answer the phone after he had been absent for four days.

She said he had also left his trailer at the property and refused to pick it up.

Ms Reynolds said she became more concerned when Mr Petrovic suffered what looked to be a fractured cheek bone while working at her home.

She said his worker said this occurred the day after Mr Petrovic had won $18,000 on poker machines while he was hungover.

Ms Reynolds said she was unable to access her driveway for three weeks as Mr Petrovic had left everything from paint and nails, to beer bottles and cigarette butts strewn across her front yard.

On April 4, Ms Reynolds reminded Mr Petrovic via text message work had to be completed by April 7 before she left for holidays.

Mr Petrovic replied: “I will clear tomorrow,” however, according to Ms Reynolds, he didn’t.

Ms Reynolds submitted a complaint to Domestic Building Dispute Resolution Victoria (DBDRV).

This photo was posted in a local Facebook group by someone Mr Petrovic had previously done work for. Picture: Facebook

In her complaint, Ms Reynolds alleged Mr Petrovic refused to return her garage remote, meaning he had access to her garage 24/7 while she was on holiday.

Ms Reynolds also alleges the work was never completed, despite her paying $18,000 to Mr Petrovic.

The Geelong Advertiser has been provided with receipts of these payments, which include Mr Petrovic’s signature.

The final payment of $2000 was made on March 27, after which Ms Reynolds claimed Mr Petrovic became unreachable.

Ms Reynolds also claims Mr Petrovic “cut corners” in the work he had completed.

Karen Reynolds said the work Mr Petrovic did was unsatisfactory.

According to Ms Reynolds’ DBDRV mediation dispute claim, another incident saw Mr Petrovic charge her $3000 for three windows he had purchased from Restorers Barn in Breakwater for $1200.

Other disputes included in the claim include incomplete building works, windows and weatherboards not finished or sealed, 10mm gaps around windows, unsealed windows and weatherboards, partially completed painting and rubbish strewn across the property.

Ms Reynolds said she was forced to hire another builder to finish the work, putting her a further $4985 out of pocket.

Due to Mr Petrovic’s unresponsiveness and inability to settle the matter, Ms Reynolds was provided with a Certificate of Conciliation by the DBDRV, which allows her to take the matter directly to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT.)

A Facebook post by Ms Reynolds.

Kanwar Singh from Craigieburn, claims he is about $114,000 worse off after hiring Mr Petrovic to work on a pair of flats he was building in Highton.

Text messages show Mr Petrovic’s requests for money for works on the two properties owned by Mr Singh, and another property owned by Navneel Sharma.

Mr Singh said he was left “depressed” following his dealings with Mr Petrovic, which forced him to sleep on the floor of his Highton property away from his family.

Multiple people who have had Mr Petrovic work for them report rubbish left behind.

Rubbish Mr Singh claims Mr Petrovic left at his Highton property.

“We were stupid and foolish and trusty (sic) this guy blindly,” Mr Singh said.

“He was very pleasant and came across nice and extremely friendly in our dealings initially.”

An inspection summary by Landmark Inspections, seen by the Geelong Advertiser, shows work Mr Petrovic completed wasn’t up to industry standards.

Mr Singh and Mr Sharma both say Mr Petrovic didn’t dispose of soil correctly at their Highton properties, resulting in neighbour’s complaining.

The summary suggested Mr Singh “contact a qualified professional,” to fix the driveway which Mr Petrovic had worked on.

The report found it did not have expansion joints installed, was too thin and decaying, paths which were also too thin and had steps at inconsistent heights, grates which had been covered in concrete, retaining wall holes and walls among others.

Tarneit man Benjamin Dessaix also claims he was left out of pocket by Mr Petrovic, after hiring him to do concreting at his home,

According to Mr Dessaix, Mr Petrovic took the deposit for the concreting and didn’t do any of the work.

“Unfortunately, me being naive to the contractor world, he asked for a 50 per cent deposit, which ended up being $2800 plus change,” he said.

Mr Singh alleges holes dug for a retaining wall at his properties were dug either too deep or too shallow.

Mr Dessaix said he was unable to reach Mr Petrovic and believes the tradie blocked his number.

Others have also come forward online, warning people not to engage the alleged shady tradie.

Attempts by the Geelong Advertiser to contact Mr Petrovic were unsuccessful.

No one with the name Branislav Petrovic or Z & B Constructions has ever been registered as a builder in Victoria.

The Victorian Building Association (VBA) told the Geelong Advertiser anyone with complaints about any tradesmen can contact the VBA https://www.vba.vic.gov.au/consumers/complaints/complaints-process

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Originally published as Herne Hill tradie Bruno Petrovic accused of ripping off clients