JUNE 27, 2017 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE
Family rebuilds hope By Esther Lauaki An Eynesbury family has learned the hard way to “do their homework” before hiring a tradesman. Phil and Samantha Trenerry have been left out of pocket more than $10,000 after a year-long dispute with a contractor that wound up at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. The Trenerrys told Star Weekly they wanted others to learn from their experience. In 2015, the couple enlisted a contractor to build a backyard deck to improve accessibility for their nine-year-old son, Cadel who has a disability and is wheelchair-bound. “The deck was important because it allowed us to take Cadel outside,” Mr Trenerry said. “He’s in a wheelchair and there’s no other way for us to utilise the backyard with Cadel. We’ve planted a native garden because he loves sitting outside and looking at the local birds that come in.” Cadel was born premature and has spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus and chronic epilepsy and is intellectually disabled. When the Trenerrys discovered that the contractor was unregistered, they pulled the plug on the project and asked for a refund – but it never came. VCAT ordered the contractor to repay the money by November last year, but he filed for bankruptcy in December, leaving the family with no way to recoup their costs. “It’s caused a lot of stress for our family and we’re much less trusting of people now,” Mr Trenerry said. “I want other residents to do your research and check with the Victorian Building Authority to ensure that their builder is registered to perform the work that they are quoting for.” Mr Trenerry said the deck had now been built with money that had been set aside for much-needed bathroom renovations. “My wife stays at home as a full-time carer for Cadel and we’re not flush with money,” he said. “It’s to the point where my wife can’t bathe Cadel in our current bathroom because of his size.” The contractor did not respond to Star Weekly’s messages prior to going to print.
Phil Trenerry with his son Cadel at their Eynesbury home. (Dennis Manktelow)
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