Consumer Council Chief Executive Seema Shandil

The Consumer Council is investigating a local aluminum service provider, known as “AA” after receiving complaints from consumers who allege that the company has taken payments but failed to deliver the services.

Chief Executive Seema Shandil says the amount of money swindled by this company is alarming and it highlights the need for consumers to exercise extreme caution and not blindly hire any trader or individual they come across on social media.

She also stressed the importance of requesting and verifying the physical address of companies, particularly those operating on social media, as the company under investigation has refused to provide their physical address when requested, raising suspicions about the authenticity of the business.

Operating primarily through Facebook, the company has been accused of accepting payments as high as $18,000 from multiple customers, but failing to initiate the work or providing only partial completion.

To date, the Council has received nine complaints against the company, totaling $82,000 in monetary value.

In one recent case being investigated by the Council, a consumer who was constructing a new house paid a 70 per cent deposit of $17,250 to the company in November 2022 for complete aluminum door and window installation.

However, the company only performed basic installation of window and door frames, leaving the work incomplete.

Despite repeated attempts to seek updates and requests for a refund, the company has been evasive and intentionally delayed completion.

Another customer paid a $13,000 deposit to the same company, but only 10 per cent of the work has been completed to date, with the company ignoring the customer’s calls.

The Council is advising consumers to diligently research and verify home improvement companies, especially those operating through social media, to avoid falling victim to scams and fraudulent practices.

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