Tradies are refusing to work in Byron Bay after the town has become notorious locally for not paying their bills
Tradies are refusing jobs in Byron Bay, with one so fed up with the town’s wealthy customers he thinks about ‘pulling the pin’ on his business every week. >> READ THEIR SENSATIONAL CLAIMS
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TRADIES who service Byron Bay are refusing to take on jobs in the town after being continuously burnt by customers not paying their bills.
The worst offenders are the people with the most money, according to several tradies who have spent decades working in the Northern Rivers.
A manufacturing business owner of 30 years said when he received a lead or request for a quote from Byron Bay it put a shiver up his spine.
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The Northern Rivers local said Byron customers either had a champagne taste on a beer budget or were “some big timers” who were rude and obnoxious and would pick apart work to get out of paying.
“They’re anal about every little particular thing and I’ve noticed it more and more now especially in the building trade. Any mark or scratch, they’re trying to get a discount or they don’t want to pay,” he said.
“It’s not all Byron people, but it’s a fair chunk. They’re quite demanding and they want it done yesterday.”
The man, who does not want to be named, said he was always wary about Byron Bay customers who he didn’t have a prior business relationship with.
“We did Chris Hemsworth’s place, we did $150,000 worth of work and we had not an ounce of problem getting paid.
“They were down to earth, engaging, obliging and helpful, but then you’ll get some big timers who I’ve never heard of, but they think everyone knows them, they’re rude and obnoxious and just demanding.
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“They come into our showroom and they’re just rude. I tell my team, ‘Let’s not judge them, let’s just see how they go’, but 70 per cent of the time, they’re just another Byronite.
“I’ve been doing this for 30 years and I can sort of pick them now, I’ll out quote myself because I don’t want the job and the headache.”
He said to avoid his business taking a financial hit, customers had to pay a 50 per cent deposit before the job started.
“We take a 50 per cent deposit which helps. The 50 per cent deposit at least covers the cost of the materials.
“But if we get caught, we’ve only done our arse on labour.”
One local plumber was owed nearly $70,000 in unpaid invoices in November last year.
He said he thought about “pulling the pin” on his business every week because he was tired of struggling to get paid for his work.
“It’s f***ed. It’s pretty much everyone here has a champagne taste on a beer budget,” the Northern Rivers local said.
“Everyone’s trying to look cool and keep up with each other, they want all the good work done but won’t pay for it.
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“My terms of trade, as stated on my invoice, is to pay on completion of work, and no one does that.
“I’m still owed money from last year. It’s like I’m the Red Cross plumbing charity in Byron and it’s usually people with money. Anyone with money are the ones who don’t pay. It’s a drawn out, shit situation.”
The small business owner said there were other plumbers in the area suffering the same fate as him but were being propped up by their parents.
“I think about pulling the pin on my business every single week. And the only reason why there are plumbers still plumbing in this town is because they have a rich mummy and daddy from Sydney keeping them afloat.
“They have a safety net of mum and dad. I don’t have a safety net, I live week to week.”
An electrical contractor who has worked in Byron Bay for 33 years said he refused to work for some businesses in the shire.
“There are certain types of businesses that I won’t work for as they are hopeless at paying, hopeless at running a business or go broke.”
Another electrician said he was burnt by a “dodgy” high-profile real estate agent and now avoided the area.
“I don’t really bother advertising for Byron or Bangalow, the furthest I would go (towards Byron Bay) is Lennox.
“I hate it, I don’t even go there in my spare time that’s how much I hate the place.”
Another plumbing business owner of 13 years said they had lost more than $6000 in unpaid invoices mostly from private holiday rental owners.
She said owners of “massive houses” who rented their property to holiday-makers were the worst at paying bills.
She said the houses were not maintained and the owners would blame her tradies for unrelated damage.
“One job in particular, we went out four times because they were blaming us for a roof leak,” she said.
“We then hired a specialist roof plumber who said the damage had been there for years and had nothing to do with our work.
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“They still wouldn’t even entertain the idea of paying us.
“When we first started the business, we did a job for someone who was bragging about owning a $16 million home, but then didn’t pay our $600 bill.
“We prefer to do jobs in Nimbin, they pay straight away.”
A Northern Rivers painter only agrees to work for Byron Bay locals if he knows them because he has been “burnt too many times”.
He said it was often country people around Casino and Lismore who paid on time, gave praise for his work and offered a home made cake or jams at the end of the job.
A cleaner said she had to take a client to court for $1000 unpaid invoice: “Byron people have no respect for their workers.”
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The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson said it was critical small businesses were paid on time.
“It’s really disappointing to hear some hardworking tradespeople in Byron Bay are having a tough time getting paid for their services,” Mr Billson says.
“Cash flow is king for small businesses and a lack of cash flow is the leading cause of insolvency.
“That’s why it is critically important small businesses, like tradespeople, are paid on time. Unfortunately, we are seeing payment times push out across the board and that is cause for concern.
“We know when small businesses are paid on time, the wider economy benefits.
“I’m aware some tradies concerned about timely payment have been seeking deposits to at least cover material, progress payments and use of credit review services to check on a prospective client’s payment history before committing their valuable time and supplies as a safeguard.”
The Australian Building and Construction Commission, Department of Industry, NSW Small Business Commissioner were contacted for comment.
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