A shed and patio business affiliated with former West Coast Eagles player Andrew Donnelly has attracted 60 complaints from customers since March 2022, according to Consumer Protection.
A shed and patio business affiliated with former West Coast Eagles player Andrew Donnelly has attracted 60 complaints from customers since March 2022, according to Consumer Protection.
Profounder Factory Direct Pty Ltd, which formerly traded as Factory Direct WA, and Factory Direct Group are the subject of the Consumer Protection alert after allegedly taking deposits worth a combined $342,264 but failing to deliver on work.
The contracts go back as far as October 2021, and mostly relate to shed and patio installations in the Perth metropolitan area. Four regional customers were also impacted.
Individual deposits ranged between $448 and $6,617.
Australian Securities and Investments Commission records list the company’s sole director since 2021 as Andrew Paul Donnelly. Records also show the company is 100 per cent owned by Mr Donnelly’s wife, Natasha.
Factory Direct Group’s sole director is Shane Carlson, who also owns 30 per cent of the business. Ms Donnelly owns the remaining 70 per cent, according to ASIC.
Consumer Protection said some customers were given delivery dates for work to be completed by Factory Direct, but in most cases dates were not met with little or no updates provided on why there were delays.
Orders were placed by a now-removed website or through the company’s offices in Wangara.
“It is an offence under the Australian Consumer Law for traders to accept payment for goods and services and then fail to supply them either within the agreed timeframe or, if not specified, within a reasonable timeframe,” Consumer Protection said in its alert.
Consumer Protection commissioner Trish Blake said consumers should be wary of making progress payments to companies without evidence of progress and advised paying small deposits up front.
“It is alarming that this business has taken deposits from numerous consumers but have failed to supply the goods and services in a reasonable timeframe and have not been transparent in communicating delays,” she said.
“Our investigation into this trader continues and, if breaches of the Australian Consumer Law are identified, further action may be taken.”
Consumer Protection said further complaints could be lodged through its website.
Mr Donnelly previously co-founded insurance broker Reliance Group alongside Kim Hanson, which collapsed in 2015 with investors left out of pocket.
In 2022, Mr Donnelly and Reliance co-founder Kim Hanson were found to have breached their statutory and common law duty of care and diligence as directors of Reliance Online, in a case relating to the acquisition of Queensland-based Phil Doring Insurance brokers in 2015.
Mr Donnelly was also found by the court to have breached his duties as a director of related company Vantage Holdings Group.
