Donna Corbin dreamt of a tranquil abode that would give her freedom and privacy when she decided to build a tiny home in a friend’s backyard.

But a year after paying a south-east Queensland builder $42,000 — with the promise that the $52,000 home would be finished in three months — she’s still living with her family and friends in Toowoomba.

Her home was never built and her last contact with builder Chris Edards was in August 2023, six weeks after she paid the money.

Ms. Corbin, who first complained to authorities in October 2023, was among 19 Queenslanders to lodge a complaint against Mr. Edards with the Office of Fair Trading.

The consumer watchdog said there had been a spike in the number of construction industry complaints where payment had been accepted but services not delivered.

Builder complaints

The Office of Fair Trading said it received more than 140 complaints last year compared to an annual average of 35 in the five years prior.

“Complaints received cover a wide range of issues including pools, fencing, solar installation, tiny homes, and patios,” a spokesperson said.

They said all of the 14 people prosecuted in 2023 for accepting money but failing to provide construction services or a refund were operating through digital platforms.

“As more Queenslanders turn to social media and marketplaces to connect with local tradies, you need to beware of swindlers posing as qualified tradespeople looking to make quick cash and disappear,” the spokesperson said.

They said in many cases the failure to supply services was generally due to poor business practices and sometimes due to factors beyond the control of the business, such as supply issues.

But in the case of Mr. Edards, the Office of Fair Trading issued a warning about his business Chace Portables and Chace Roofing Sheds and Patios Pty Ltd earlier this year.

It would not comment further as the matter was under investigation.

Mr. Edards has declined to comment.

Ms. Corbin said she had done a few checks of Mr. Edards’ business but did not go any further because the construction of tiny homes in Queensland was not a regulated activity.

She said some electrical and plumbing work was done after the contract was signed.

But when progress stopped, she said the excuses started.

“We were continuously sending messages, emails, texts, just to see whether we could get traction on this,” she said.

‘Bloody heartbreaking ‘

Jess Hanson from the central-west Queensland town of Tambo said trying to recoup the more than $90,000 she and her employer paid to Mr. Edards had been “bloody heartbreaking”.

She said they had ordered six cabins in 2022 for their short-term accommodation business.

After being asked to show proof that he was doing the work, Mr. Edards stopped communicating with her and her lawyers.

“It’s taxing on everything like your financial health, it’s impacted us dramatically,” Ms. Hanson said.

She reported the matter to the Office of Fair Trading and Queensland Police.

“Local police [said] what he’s done is criminal but when it was referred to [Queensland Police fraud investigators], they just kept saying it was a civil matter,” Ms. Hanson said.

“They said because we’ve signed a contract that’s the end of it, too bad, so sad.”

Ms. Hanson said they had tried to recover money from Mr. Edards through their lawyers but he had disappeared.

“He just went to ground then, he had our money — couldn’t get a hold of him, couldn’t find him,” she said.

Cooperation needed

Master Builders Queensland, the peak body for the building sector, said there needed to be greater cooperation between authorities to tackle scams in the industry.

It acknowledged there was confusion over where to take complaints.

Master Builders Queensland advocacy manager Ian Grant said the organisation would like to see greater communication between the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC), police, and fair trading.

“I appreciate they’ve got their own jurisdictions but because it overlaps with all three, there should be something in place to assist consumers who are caught like this,” Mr. Grant said.

He said he also wanted more warnings to be issued by authorities to alert the public to surges in scams.

Meanwhile, the Office of Fair Trading said it was urging Queenslanders to do their due diligence before engaging a tradesperson.

As the number of complaints increased, the consumer watchdog said research should also include whether the tradesperson held a valid licence.

It said in the case of Mr. Edards, Queensland Building and Construction Commission records show his contractor licence had been disqualified.

“Consumers are reminded they can conduct a free search of QBCC licensees via the QBCC website,” a spokesperson said.

Left with a $42,000 hole in her bank balance and no place of her own to call home, Ms. Corbin said she felt depressed and duped.

“It would have given me freedom, freedom to do my own thing, freedom to be in my own space,” she said.

“And now I feel trapped again.”