Victoria’s dodgiest builders and plumbers paid more than $2m in fines

Faking insurance documents and sending unqualified workers in to complete work were among the dodgy tradie behaviours exposed and heavily fined in the past year.

Working without a license, overcharging customers and sending unqualified people to complete work were among the acts committed by dodgy tradies looking to rort the system in the past year.

It comes as the Victorian Building Authority received a record $2m worth of fines between July 2022 and June 2024 after a major industry crackdown.

More than $1.5m was collected from builders and surveyors, with about $530,000 received from plumbers.

Some of the more serious breaches ended up in court and resulted in convictions in addition to major fines.

Aycon Constructions

Remarkably, the biggest ever fine issued by the VBA was handed down after its record breaking two years.

Aycon Constructions and nominee director Seyit Ayranci were slapped with a record $250,000 penalty and suspended for three years in July 2024 for faking domestic building insurance certificates for 150 properties between 2018 and 2024.

By law domestic building insurance must be taken out of any domestic building work more than $16,000.

Aycon Constructions & Building Services Picture: Instagram

The Victorian Building Authority searched properties related to Aycon Constructions & Building Services after alleging that it failed to take out insurance on home building jobs.

It meant Aycon’s various customers were not insured during construction.

VBA chief executive Anna Cronin said any builders breaching insurance policies would be “removed” from the building industry.

“If a Domestic Building Insurance policy is not in place, it is not only an offence under the Building Act, but exposes homeowners to potentially significant financial and emotional turmoil,” she said.

The Victorian Building Authority searched properties related to Aycon Constructions & Building Services after alleging that it failed to take out insurance on home building jobs.

Diamond Builders

A Mount Waverley builder who overcharged customers and varied the terms of a major domestic building contract was disqualified for three years and received $200,000 worth of fines, according to the VBA disciplinary register.

An investigation into builder Waleed Khuma, the director of Diamond Builders, found he breached more than 100 building laws, including “a failure to build as required” and failing to notify the building surveyor “that building work had been completed to a mandatory inspection stage”.

He has been banned from engaging in any new projects and must hand over the company’s current sites to new builders.

Ms Cronin said “rogue practitioners” like Mr Khuma would be held to account.

“The immediate suspension of Waleed Khumra prevents any more consumers from being impacted while our disciplinary process runs its course,” she said.

The Victorian Building Authority has received more than $2m worth of fines in the past two years. Picture: iStock

Sergio Vera

Unqualified pool builder Sergio Vera received a $20,000 fine in June after he started construction at a site in Diamond Creek without being registered.

In addition, Vera did not acquire the correct permits nor did he comply with a notice to produce insurance documents.

Vera was convicted and fined $20,000 by a magistrate.

Montego Homes

South Melbourne builder Montego Homes had its registration cancelled in September, more than nine months after going into voluntary administration.

Dozens of families were caught up in the saga where the company failed to take out domestic building insurance before accepting nearly $900,000 worth of deposits.

The company’s nominee director Todd Searle was suspended in February.

Dodgy builders have been placed on notice after a record year for fines issued by the state’s building watchdog. Picture: iStock

Todd Buzza

This wannabe builder was convicted and fined $15,000 for entering into a major domestic building contract without being a registered builder.

Todd Buzza faced the music at the Werribee Magistrates’ Court in January, where he was convicted for quoting substantial renovations at a home, despite not being a registered builder.

The VBA urges people to “usea registered builder” for all building work worth more than $10,000, including materials and labour.