• Repairer takes payments from vehicle owners with little work carried out
• Three Perth consumers left out of pocket and their vehicles unusable
• Case highlights the dangers to consumers of paying too much money upfront

A Port Kennedy vehicle repairer has been ordered by the Perth Magistrates Court to pay $48,492.59 in fines, compensation and costs after accepting payments from consumers but failing to complete the work.

Christopher Adam Hall, former Director of 5XH Logistics Pty Ltd (deregistered) formerly trading as The Barra Shed, was fined $15,000 on 14 April 2023 for breaching the Australian Consumer Law and ordered to pay costs of $2,047.30 as well as $31,445.29 in compensation to three consumers.

Between May 2019 and June 2020, Mr Hall accepted payments totalling $47,691.25 from three vehicle owners for mechanical work:

• A Waikiki consumer paid a total of $13,850 for an engine swap on a four-wheel drive vehicle, but collected his vehicle after being in Mr Hall’s possession for 17 months, with only a limited amount of work being carried out. The vehicle was not useable and a further $15,000 was paid to another mechanic to get the vehicle back on the road.
• A Bassendean consumer paid a total of $20,854 for an engine conversion for a four-wheel drive vehicle. Despite an assurance the vehicle would be ready in six weeks, the vehicle was collected by the consumer after six months following numerous unsuccessful attempts to contact Mr Hall. An inspection of the vehicle, which was not useable, discovered that the work was not completed and the little work carried out was of poor quality. A further $2,736 had to be paid to another mechanic to get the vehicle back on the road.
• Another Bassendean consumer made numerous payments to Mr Hall totalling $17,341 for an engine conversion on a four-wheel drive vehicle. The vehicle was collected by its owner after it was in Mr Hall’s possession for six months without the customer receiving any progress reports. A limited amount of work had been carried out and the vehicle was not useable. Mr Hall had sent a bank transfer receipt to the consumer, but the promised refund was never deposited into the consumer’s bank account.

Commissioner for Consumer Protection Trish Blake said this case highlights the dangers of paying too much upfront.

“For expensive work like engine conversions, it is vital that only a small deposit is paid up front, if at all, and consumers can also consider negotiating progress payments once stages of work have been confirmed to be completed,” Ms Blake said.

“Paying large deposits, or even the full amount, upfront leaves consumers vulnerable, especially in these circumstances where the work is not carried out in a reasonable time, with customers out of pocket and without a functioning vehicle.

“As well as being illegal, it is a serious betrayal of trust for Mr Hall to accept payments from his customers and then do very little work in return. It is totally unacceptable that they were then placed in a position of having to spend more money to make the vehicles roadworthy.”

Complaints against motor vehicle repairers can be lodged on the Consumer Protection website. Enquiries can be made by email consumer@dmirs.wa.gov.au or by calling 1300 30 40 54.

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Media Contact: Alan Hynd, (08) 6552 9248 / 0429 078 791 / cpmedia@dmirs.wa.gov.au