Mohammad Ali Eshlan and Mojo Roofing Pty Ltd fined $60,000 after posing as plumber

A Melbourne mum lost her life savings and was forced to sell her house after being preyed on by a dodgy plumber.

A single mum from Melbourne’s northeast is calling for action after a dodgy plumber ruined her roof. Picture: generic image

A single mum lost most of her life savings and was forced to sell her home for $100,000 less than market value after a Dallas man posing as a plumber ruined her roof.

Mohammad Ali Eshlan and his company Mojo Roofing Pty have been found guilty by Heidelberg Magistrates Court of six offences under the Building Act including claiming to be a registered and licensed plumber.

Eshlan, who failed to appear before the court, was convicted and ordered to pay $60,000.

The 32-year-old was taken to court by the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) after he carried out roof plumbing work in Whittlesea between May and July 2022 despite not being licensed or qualified to do so and without being covered by the required insurance.

The VBA is investigating hundreds of tips about dodgy tradies.

The court heard the homeowner hired Eshlan after he told her he was registered with the VBA, had many years of experience and would issue a compliance certificate after completing the job.

The single mother of two young children paid Eshlan a deposit of $18,500 after he quoted $27,000 to replace her tiled roof with a metal one.

However, when the work was underway she noticed significant issues, including ongoing leaks.

A second plumbing company she engaged to fix some of the leaks and quote on rectifying the work, claimed her rook was “like a kite ready to take off” and suggested she put something heavy on top of it to reduce the risk of it lifting off in the winds.

In her victim impact statement the homeowner said Eshlan’s actions caused “severe emotional distress and financial strain”.

“Each time it started raining, I nervously went around the house to investigate if there were new leaks and when they did appear I had to climb on to the roof and try to find a way to stop them, with tarps mostly,” the statement read.

Dallas man Mohammad Ali Eshlan was fined $60,000 by Heidelberg Magistrates Court over his dodgy roof plumbing.

The statement revealed the homeowner was forced to install security cameras after being allegedly threatened by Eshlan over the remaining money for his defective work.

“I experienced more than 18 months of anxiety, constantly watching the cameras, fearing that he would return to my property,” she said.

After realising that she could not afford to fix Eshlan’s dodgy work, the homeowner felt compelled to sell up.

Initial consultations with two real estate agents suggested a sale price of up to $800,000.

But when the homeowner explained the condition of the roof, she was told a more realistic price was $700,000.

She ultimately sold the property for $700,000.

The woman said her losses extended well beyond her savings and the value of her property.

“Mohammed Eshlan’s betrayal has shattered my trust in individuals like him and has eroded my faith in the fundamental human fabric of trust,” she said.

She called for Eshlan to face “the fullest extent of punishment permissible by law”.

A statewide blitz by the VBA on unregistered and unlicensed practitioners has found 34 unregistered workers across 1,292 building sites in metro Melbourne and regional Victoria. 

More than 200 tips have come in through the VBA’s online tip off form with more than 50 per cent of those warranting further investigation.