Post by admin on Jun 15, 2012 19:21:16 GMT 10
PENSIONERS living alone have been fleeced of thousands of dollars by a "grubby" electrical company, the NSW Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts alleged yesterday.
Mr Roberts is investigating the company - Switchworx Electrical - after complaints to his department against the company for under-quoting and incredible over-charging.
Most of the 18 complaints were from elderly people overcharged thousands.
Complaints included charging $7740 to repair electrical connections following a flood after initially quoting $2000 and charging more than $3000 to restore power to a house - a $600 job.
An 85-year-old woman was also slugged $5000 to restore power to her house - a job that should have been a fraction of the cost.
One pensioner complained Switchworx charged her more than $500 to fix a fan after the electrician refused to give her a quote, saying "Don't you want it fixed?".
Many of the complainants were told they were being charged so much because it was an "emergency" call.
Mr Roberts has asked the director of the company, Charbel Khoury, to visit his office today and ordered his department to "forensically" look through his company's accounts.
"The business model works around preying on older and vulnerable people," Mr Roberts alleged.
"I think they have got a lot to answer for and they are in my sights.
"Our investigation will also look into whether (Mr Khoury) is a fit and appropriate person to have a licence to trade in NSW, full stop.
"He is looking down the barrel of up to $1.1 million in fines."
The allegations against Switchworx were first aired by Ray Hadley on his 2GB morning show.
Mr Khoury rang Mr Hadley and denied he was overcharging his customers. But yesterday he did not answer repeated phone calls to his business and mobile, and the Switchworx bookings line rang out.
At the company's two listed addresses, Fair Trading business cards are stuck to the door and unopened letters are stacking up. Two men in the Switchworx office yesterday claimed they had nothing to do with the business.