Mr Gow, a former Illawarra Business Leader of the Year, was handed the letter last Tuesday night.

The franchise company was then swift in removing from its website any reference to the Warilla-based franchise or Mr Gow’s building company Gow Constructions.

Last Wednesday, managing director of G.J. Gardner Homes NSW Matthew Hope contacted eight existing customers with houses still under construction by email telling them of the decision.

On the same day, he visited some customers on site to inspect outstanding issues.

However, Mr Hope has told customers that as the licensed builder, Gow Constructions was legally obligated to finalise all current contracts.

‘‘I have spoken to all of our Illawarra customers with builds currently under way and have assured them we will be assisting them by keeping the pressure on until builds are completed,’’ Mr Hope said.

Gow Constructions holds an approved building licence.

Mr Hope confirmed that G.J. Gardner Homes ‘‘no longer has an affiliation’’ with Gow Constructions ‘‘following the dissolve of its franchise under the terms of the contract’’.

He said due to confidentiality, the terms of the franchise contract could not be discussed but added: ‘‘We appreciate the patience and understanding customers are displaying and we assure them we do not take this situation lightly.’’

In August, the Mercury reported Mr Gow and Gow Constructions Pty Ltd had been found guilty of improper conduct and fined collectively $12,000 by the Department of Fair Trading.

Mr Gow was issued with a notice to show cause in his capacity as director and nominated supervisor of the company for failing to perform work in a proper and workmanlike manner and failing to carry out work with due diligence and within a reasonable time. The company faced similar allegations over the same failures.

At the time, Mr Gow and the company traded under the independently owned franchise G.J. Gardner Homes Illawarra.

The same month that the Mercury reported on the matter, Mr Gow became the founding president of the Warilla Business Chambers. He resigned from that position on Monday.

Following the disciplinary action by Fair Trade, Mr Gow handed in his resignation as senior vice-president of the Master Builders Association Illawarra Division and as a councillor of the NSW Master Builders Association in August.

A spokesperson for the MBA said on Tuesday that Mr Gow understood he could not hold a position on the council management following the Fair Trade reprimand.

‘‘It goes against our code of ethics and principles of the MBA,’’ the spokesperson said.

He said Mr Gow had handed in his resignation to both bodies until such time as the outstanding building issues had been rectified.

Mr Gow’s association with the Southern NSW franchise of Smith and Sons Renovation and Extensions, of which he was a partner and corporate manager, also ended on October 31 last year.

His partner in that business, Chris Calderbank-Park, bought Mr Gow’s shares after the pair agreed to go their separate ways.

‘‘Jason no longer has anything to do with Smith and Sons,’’ Mr Calderbank-Park said.

Tarrawanna man Wayne Gregory has been fighting Mr Gow and Gow Constructions in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Mr Gregory claimed Mr Gow had shirked contractual obligations relating to the completion of drainage and other external works. However, Mr Gow said the works were outside the scope of his contract. It was settled after mediation on February 15, with Mr Gow agreeing to rectify some defective work by the end of April.

For Mr Gregory, it was the end of a six-year battle. He is yet to move into his new home.

He was one of several home owners who had accused the builder of defective and poor workmanship in a Mercury exclusive in 2012. In that report, the Mercury spoke to 10 home owners who had negative dealings with Gow Constructions.

At the time, Mr Gow said: ‘‘In a small number of cases where a customer has not been satisfied, we have worked with them to find a fair outcome in accordance with our legal obligations.’’

Mr Gow did not respond to the Mercury’s requests for an interview, offered to him on Monday and Tuesday about the termination of Gow Construction’s franchise with G.J. Gardner.

Throughout the past year, Mr Gow has been the chairman of the Illawarra Relay for Life committee and a committee member for Angels at Work, an organisation raising funds for people battling blood cancers.

On his LinkedIn site, he says: ‘‘I enjoy continually challenging myself to deliver quality work and legendary relationships. I am a conscious, charitable businessman with integrity and business ethics.

‘‘An award winning builder and businessman with infallible commitment to my work. A prolific leader with professionalism and entrepreneurial attitude.’’