Builder fined $30k for illegal pool

Nov. 13, 2012, midnight

A GLENROWAN man operating a pool business at Yarrawonga has been fined more than $30,000 after building an in-ground swimming pool at Mulwala without Corowa Council approval.

Ian Andrew Lee produced a belated and fraudulent certificate of home warranty insurance to the council which gave development approval.

But an investigation by NSW Fair Trading discovered the certificate was fraudulent and Lee, 50, was charged with four offences under the Home Building Act.

The charges said he received a $22,390 deposit for the pool which was more than 5per cent of the contract price, began construction without home warranty insurance, knowingly used a false home warranty certificate and demanded and received payment from a consumer without the warranty insurance.

Lee, who trades as Leisure Pools Yarrawonga, did not appear in Albury Local Court yesterday and was convicted in his absence.

Magistrate Megan Greenwood imposed fines of $7700 on each of the four charges along with court costs and professional costs.

The total penalty for Lee was $31,732.

Ms Greenwood was told Lee held a contractors licence for 12 months from September 15, 2009, and then obtained another from July 21 last year.

He accepted $2990 payment in June last year as deposit for installing an in-ground pool in Amaroo Court at Mulwala.

Original post:
Builder fined $30k for illegal pool