The County Court has convicted and fined Christopher Michael, Director of Australian Property Management Solutions, for a scheme that deceived 12 small businesses.
Michael, 51, of Bentleigh East pleaded guilty after pocketing $24,000 over three years.
He was the director of Australian Property Management Solutions (APMS) Pty Ltd (ACN 602 464 700) at the time of the offences. APMS is a property maintenance and management company that provides consulting services.
Consumer Affairs investigated and started legal action against Michael and his company after receiving information from the Victorian Small Business Commission and consumers.
Michael contacted small plumbing and electrical businesses on behalf of APMS, inviting business owners to register as contractors with the company for a $2,035 fee.
He promised a refund if APMS failed to provide at least $30,000 worth of completed work orders within 12 months. The work never materialised, and the contractors were not refunded, despite Michael promising to do so.
Michael was convicted and fined $6,000 for offences under the Australian Consumer Law, including:
- wrongly accepting payment
- making false or misleading representations
- misleading the public about the services provided.
He was also convicted and signed a 12-month adjourned undertaking on a charge of being ‘reckless’ about his capacity to provide the services he promised.
The Australian Consumer Law protects both small businesses and consumers against unscrupulous business practices.
The offences occurred between August 2018 and October 2021.