Issue Date:  -  Wednesday, 25 October 2000

Carpet cleaner charged

David Stranaghan Junior, a carpet cleaner prosecuted by the Ministry of Fair Trading has been found guilty of breaches of the Door- to-Door Trading Act.

Stranaghan traded in Perth in March this year as Stuart's Cleaning Services, targeted retirement villages offering cheap carpet cleaning, but then charged customers up to $3700 for less than one hours work.

David Stranaghan Junior, of Redcliffe in Queensland, did not appear in court.

He was found guilty of twenty-four charges involving six breaches of the Door-to-Door Trading Act:

 - failing to give a copy of the cleaning contract;
 - failing to give proper notice of the 10 day cooling off period;
 - failing to give a notice used to cancel a door-to-door contract;
 - accepting money during the cooling off period;
 - supplying services during the cooling off period;
 - failing to show identification.

The magistrate handed down the maximum penalty for two of the charges relating to acceptance of payment before the cooling off period.

Magistrate Cicchini described Stranaghan as a predator who preyed on the elderly victims in a premeditated manner.

"The fines imposed are significant and are the highest imposed this year for breaches of the Door to Door Trading Act ", said the Commissioner for Fair Trading, Mr Patrick Walker.

"This should send a message to the community that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated. Vulnerable people need to be protected from those who act in such a dishonest and callous manner,"said Mr Walker.

Stranaghan junior was fined $15,900, plus restitution costs totalling $6,792 payable to the four victims and court costs of $308.