Featured Image Credit: news.com.au
Topics: Australia, Viral, Business, World News
Emma Rosemurgey
A couple of Aussie tradesmen were caught ripping up a driveway they had installed, claiming they never received their full payment.
Damian Hallett and his business partner, Jamie Sommerville, from Clare in South Australia, used a bulldozer and power tools to destroy their own work over an alleged unpaid bill.
The pair, who operate under the business Clare Concreting, say they 'don't condone' their behaviour, but believe it was necessary after the homeowner only paid $10,000 of their $13,500 bill, and refused to pay the rest.
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In videos shared to Instagram, police can be seen arriving at the scene and pleading with the men to be 'reasonable' and talk to the homeowner, who begged them to stop bulldozing.
In the clip, the homeowner can be seen approaching the men, as Hallet tells him: "I'm ripping the whole f***ing lot out."
When the homeowner tells him: "It's not going to help anybody," the tradie responds: "It's not going to help me by leaving it here. I don’t care, I’m pulling this out. At the end of the day you owe me $3500. I’m pulling this out, you’ve had your chances.
"You said you’re not going to pay me the money. If you’re going to pay me the money I’ll stop, if not I’m going to bulldoze now.
"I’ve tried to bargain with you. If you’re going to pay the money talk to me, if not f*** off. I don’t care. I’ve never done this before in my life."
After much back and forth between the homeowner and the tradesmen, the policeman intervened and asked the homeowner how much money he owes for the work that was done to his driveway.
"Hang on, how much do you owe him?" the officer asked, to which Hallet replied: "$3,500."
"Well then, you need to pay him $3,500," the cop continued.
Taking to Instagram later that day, Hallet confirmed the homeowner had paid the remainder of the bill in full and thanked the police for their help.
"In relation to this, we have been paid in full on the day. Thanks to South Australian police involvement," he wrote. However, the homeowner has since disputed the chain of events that led to the bulldozing.
The man, who has chosen to remain anonymous, say he was at home with his daughters, aged nine and four, when he heard the digging taking place outside.
He told News AU: "I went outside and saw he’s digging my driveway. I went inside because my kids are crying, grabbed my phone and called the cops. He wouldn’t stop. The cops said, ‘It’s a civil matter, we can’t do anything.’"
After being told the police were only present to ensure things didn't 'get physical', the man decided he needed to pay the money to prevent the men from damaging the retaining wall to his home.
He claims, however, that he had already paid $30,000 for the work and was planning to pay the rest, but that the men had not finished all the agreed work, including levelling the ground, constructing a retaining wall and plumbing work.
The homeowner even shared text messages where he had disputed the amount owed and questioned them over alleged unfinished work.
Since the story went viral, the man has also faced a barrage of racist abuse from people online and has even had people driving up to his home just to look at the damage.
He said: "I’m scared now, you never know who’s in the car. My kids are upset, ‘Why are people looking at our house?’"
Clare Concreting have since offered to come back and repair the driveaway, as well as completing the outstanding jobs, however, the homeowner has declined and is now seeking legal advice.