A Wollongong builder who carried out illegal construction work on four Illawarra sites - some of which was defective and unsafe - has left a string of landowners scrambling to pay outstanding planning fees and fix problems in his wake.
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Marco Anthony Rubbo, former director and majority shareholder of the now defunct MGR Projects Pty Ltd, began construction on a number of residential and commercial developments between October 2008 and May 2013 without obtaining a construction certificate.
On three occasions the work was also contrary to the development consent, while on another, Rubbo built a second dwelling on a residential block in Bulli without development consent at all.
On Friday, the 38-year-old was fined a total $62,500 and ordered to pay $43,350 in legal costs to Wollongong City Council after pleading guilty to eight charges in Albion Park Local Court.
The charges relate to illegal construction work carried out at properties in Farmborough Heights, Thirroul, Balgownie and Bulli, some of which was shoddy and unsafe.
In one case a residential development on Farmborough Road was subject to a strata subdivision and eight individual units were sold without council having any certification that the units were suitable for occupation.
Residents later engaged a building consultant and discovered several aspects of the building did not comply with Australian standards with respect to fire safety, information provided to the court said.
A Thirroul landowner has also been left in the lurch after discovering Rubbo did not pay the $6750 contribution fee required to certify the Brickworks Avenue development.
"The owner of the land [now] risks the issue of rectification orders or demolition orders with respect to the building," documents provided to the court said.
"The owner of the land has received a building report in respect of the works completed by the defendant indicating that the dual occupancy constructed on the land has defective roof trusses and external beams.
"Rectification of these issues will require removal of the roof."
When the illegal construction work took place, Rubbo was the director and major majority shareholder of MGR Projects, and was responsible for planning the development and obtaining all relevant approvals for construction, the document said.
MGR Projects' building contractor licence was cancelled on November 4, 2013.
