Khanh Ho: unregistered building surveyor fined $60k, plus legal costs, after VBA prosecution

A phony building surveyor has been hit with $80,000 in fines and costs after one of the most complex investigations in the history of the state’s building regulator

Khanh Ho, 49, has pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates Court to a string of charges stemming from pretending to be a registered building surveyor.

A phony building surveyor whose trail of forged paperwork and worthless documentation on sites across Melbourne has been fined $60,000 and ordered to pay $20,000 in legal fees following one of the most complex investigations in the history of the state building watchdog.

Magistrate Meghan Hoare on Tuesday convicted and fined Khanh Ho, 49, over his “sustained, protracted and egregious” breaches of building laws.

Ms Hoare said Ho’s conduct was a “matter of grave concern to the community and has the potential to undermine the credibility of the scheme (of building regulation)”.

She said Ho showed a “high degree or moral culpability” in working without registration from 2019 to 2022.

He left the country as authorities were finalising their investigation into him, and was only able to be charged when he returned.

He indicated he would fight the allegations against him until pleading guilty on the first day of his hearing.

Ho’s offending related to work on nine building sites, with one of his victims telling the court in a statement he felt “betrayed” and another saying he felt a “loss of trust”.

Ms Hoare said people lying about being registered professionals posed a significant “potential for harm”.

She said homeowners ought to be able to trust the work of building professionals, who they entrust with some of the biggest financial commitments of their lives.

She said Ho, who was struck off as a surveyor in 2010, should have known about the requirements of the registration scheme.

In total, Ho pocketed nearly $30,000 for the work he performed while pretending to be a surveyor.

The court heard Ho had little money to his name, was living in a rental property, and was juggling occasional work with his duties at his partner’s loss-making restaurant at Maidstone.

The sites Ho worked on were a two homes in Altona North, a stall at the South Melbourne Markets, and homes in Laverton, Newport, Hoppers Crossing, Thornbury and Footscray. VBA commissioner and chief executive Anna Cronin said Ho’s conviction and fine “sends a strong message to unregistered practitioners – we’re coming after you”.

“Conduct like this undermines confidence in the building industry and those who engage in it should expect serious consequences,” she said.

“Consumers should always ensure the building surveyors and builders they hire are registered – you can check this on the VBA website via Find A Practitioner.”