Tradie Didn’t Finish the Job? Your Rights and How to Get Your Money Back

You hired a plumber, electrician, tiler, or carpenter. You paid a deposit — maybe even progress payments. Then they stopped showing up. The job is half done, your house is a mess, and they are not returning calls.

This is one of the most common consumer disputes in Australia. Here is exactly what to do about it.

Step 1: Document everything

Before you do anything else, gather your evidence:

• The original quote or contract
• All invoices and proof of payment (bank transfers, receipts)
• Photos of the incomplete or defective work
• Text messages, emails, and call logs showing attempts to contact them
• Any written promises about completion dates

Take dated photos of the current state of the work. If you need another tradie to finish the job, get a written quote for the cost to complete — that becomes your claim amount.

Step 2: Send a formal Letter of Demand

A text message saying “where’s my money” is not enough. You need a formal Letter of Demand that:

• States the amount owed (deposit + any overpayment for incomplete work)
• Cites the Australian Consumer Law — services must be provided with due care and skill, fit for purpose, and completed within a reasonable time (ss 60–62)
• Sets a 14-day deadline to pay or complete the work
• States that you will file a claim with the tribunal or court if they do not comply

This letter creates a paper trail you can show the tribunal or court if you need to file.

Step 3: Know your state tribunal or court

If the tradie does not respond to your Letter of Demand within 14 days, you can file with your state tribunal or court:

• New South Wales — first lodge a home building complaint with NSW Fair Trading (Building Commission NSW); NCAT accepts the application only after that, unless your matter is exempt (for example a contractor recovering a debt, a claim whose time limit ends within 3 months, or an unlicensed, deregistered or insolvent builder)
• Victoria — first apply to the Building and Plumbing Commission’s dispute resolution service; VCAT (Building and Property List) needs its certificate
• Queensland — first go through QBCC dispute resolution; QCAT needs the QBCC letter
• Western Australia — Magistrates Court (minor case claims up to $10,000; general procedure claims up to $75,000)
• South Australia — Magistrates Court (minor civil actions up to $12,000; general claims up to $100,000)
• Tasmania — Magistrates Court, Civil Division (claims up to $50,000)
• Australian Capital Territory — ACAT (civil disputes up to $25,000)
• Northern Territory — NTCAT (small claims up to $25,000)

Filing fees change each 1 July; check the current fee on the tribunal’s or court’s website before you file. You do not need a lawyer — these small claims processes are designed for self-represented parties.

What you can claim

You can claim:

• The deposit for work not performed
• The cost to complete the work with another tradie (get a written quote)
• The cost to rectify defective work
• Any consequential losses — for example, the cost of temporary accommodation if your bathroom was left unusable

How Claim Done helps

Claim Done drafts your Letter of Demand for $49. You tell us what happened and what evidence you have, and we draft a formal demand letter citing the legislation that applies to your situation. Once you approve it, we send it to the tradie.

If the tradie does not respond, and once any required regulator step is done, we can also prepare your Tribunal Application for $97, with a witness statement outline. You review it, then lodge it yourself.

Each draft is ready in about five minutes for you to review. Available 24/7.