Plumber Leaves a Smelly Legacy - Domenic Carmelo Lombardo fined
Issue Date: - Tuesday, 23 December 2008
A Queens Park plumber was ordered to pay nearly $5000 in fines and court costs for doing unlicensed plumbing work and failing to comply with a rectification notice for sub-standard plumbing work that led, in one case, to a large sewage discharge into a customer’s backyard.
The Perth Magistrate’s Court fined Domenic Carmelo Lombardo, $2750 for undertaking plumbing work without a licence and for failing to act when ordered to rectify his defective and unsafe workmanship. He was also ordered to pay more than $2000 in costs.
The conviction followed two investigations by the Plumbers Licensing Board concerning separate complaints about Mr Lombardo’s work.
The first was in July 2007 when he failed to complete a domestic job that was deemed by the Board to be non-compliant with required plumbing standards. Mr Lombardo was issued with a rectification notice but failed to comply by the deadline.
Also in August 2007, Mr Lombardo was contracted to alter an existing sewer line in a customer’s backyard. The new pipe was laid in the trench but was not connected to the house or the sewer main, causing large amounts of sewage to spill out into the yard.
In addition, the Board also found Mr Lombardo’s licence had lapsed for a period last year and had undertaken plumbing work as an unlicensed plumber during this time.
Board chair Judy Seif said that plumbing work that does not comply with standards undermines the integrity of the trade and places the health and safety of consumers at risk.
“Anyone undertaking plumbing work must be licensed at all times and the Board will prosecute any instances of unlicensed plumbing to protect the community,” she said.
“Consumers should ensure they engage only licensed plumbers and can do so by asking to see the photographic Licence Card that each plumber must carry with them at all times.
“Consumers can also contact the Board on 9282 0478 if they have any concerns over a licence or standard of plumbing work.”
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