Explained: Meet David and Natalia Ellingsen, the couple behind Adelaide’s besieged Metropolitan Plumbing tradie empire
David and Natalia Ellingsen have been accused of ripping off customers as they built their nationwide tradie empire, but who are the couple behind the company?
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One of the state’s biggest plumbing and air conditioner companies is embroiled in multiple investigations over widespread customer overcharging accusations and claims of questionable practices.
Metropolitan Plumbing and dozens of its national subsidiary brands have been issued a series of rare alerts by state and federal consumer watchdogs, warning the public of “serious concerns” with the companies’ practices.
Behind the empire is its founder, David Ellingsen, 57, and his wife Natalia Kate Ellingsen, 48.
The husband and wife live in a luxury $2.17m city views home and possess a portfolio of other properties across the state.
In 2013, the couple wedded at Carrick Hill in Springfield, making it into the pages of the Sunday Mail.
Then known as Natalia McBeath, the smitten bride recounted the story of the pair’s engagement.
“We went out for dinner one night and then in the dark hallway of our house, I saw the ring and he said will you marry me,” Natalia said. “He shocked me.”
The pair told the Sunday Mail they would go on to honeymoon in Port Douglas and Thailand.
Beyond the tradie empire, the couple have dabbled in farming as “a side venture”.
Social media posts for their business Flaxley Australian White Sheep depicts herds of sheep and alpaca at their $1.2m Adelaide Hills property.
This enterprise saw Mr and Mrs Ellingsen make national news in 2021 for their purchase of a record breaking $165,000 Tattykeel Australian White stud.
“At Flaxley we want to take advantage of the best genetics available for the growth of our flock and the bloodline,” Mr Ellingsen told reporters.
Mr Ellingsen founded Metropolitan Plumbing and Gas in 1995.
His LinkedIn claims he is a “a plumber with over 35 years’ experience in the residential plumbing and gas fitting industry”.
He boasts of businesses across most major cities — including Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, with over 300 employees.
Some of Mr Ellingsen’s previous businesses have been embroiled in separate administrative investigations, including Gas and Plumbing Australia Pty Ltd, which collapsed last year with more than $16m in debts — 13 years after another firm went bust.
Mr Ellingsen was also part of a very public falling out with stalwart Australian brand Jim’s Group.
The owner of Jim’s Group, Jim Penman, told Channel 9’s A Current Affair in 2023 he was “very concerned” with Metropolitan’s business practices.
“I’m not happy that you call Jim’s Plumbing and Metropolitan turns up,” he said.
He told The Advertiser this month that he was threatening to sue Metropolitan over use of his name and trademarks after terminating an agreement two years ago.
He accused Metropolitan, which claims to employ more than 300 workers in eight Australian cities including Adelaide, of engaging in “intellectual property infringement … misleading and deceptive conduct (and) unauthorised use of … name and trademarks”.
Business records show Mrs Ellingsen, is the sole director of Metropolitan’s current parent company, Plumbing & Gas Pty Ltd, which has 45 different national brands.
Over the past three weeks, the Ellingsens failed to respond to emails and letters detailing allegations against their companies.
They also did not return phone calls or messages.
The couple did not respond to fresh inquiries on Monday.
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Originally published as Explained: Meet David and Natalia Ellingsen, the couple behind Adelaide’s besieged Metropolitan Plumbing tradie empire
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