What to do if a tradie doesn’t finish the job (NSW)
If a tradie doesn’t finish in NSW, you have rights under Australian Consumer Law: work must be done with due care and within a reasonable time. Put your concern in writing, give a clear deadline, and if that fails, NSW Fair Trading can help resolve the dispute.
Know your rights
Under Australian Consumer Law, services must be carried out with due care and skill and within a reasonable time. An abandoned or half-finished job usually fails that test, which gives you a basis to ask for it to be put right.
Your written scope and your photos are the evidence. This is why agreeing what “done” means at the start matters so much when things go wrong.
Put it in writing, calmly
Start with a clear, polite message: what was agreed, what’s outstanding, and a reasonable date to complete it by. Keep it factual and keep a copy. Often this alone gets a stalled job moving.
If they don’t respond or don’t return, a short follow-up stating that you’ll seek help from NSW Fair Trading if it isn’t resolved is a fair next step.
Use NSW Fair Trading if needed
NSW Fair Trading offers a free complaint and dispute-resolution service for consumers. You can lodge a complaint online, and they can contact the tradie on your behalf to try to resolve it.
For larger or unresolved building disputes, the matter can go to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT). This guidance is general — for your specific situation, check the current NSW Fair Trading information or get tailored advice.
How a concierge helps you avoid this
Most of this pain is preventable. Because we agree the scope and dates up front and only mark a job done once you’ve approved the proof, there’s far less room for a job to quietly stall.
And because we keep a record of what was agreed and what was delivered, you’re never trying to remember the details if a problem does come up.
Common questions
What are my rights if a tradie abandons the job?
Under Australian Consumer Law, services must be done with due care and within a reasonable time. An abandoned job usually breaches that, so you can require it to be completed or seek a remedy.
How do I complain to NSW Fair Trading?
You can lodge a complaint for free on the NSW Fair Trading website. They can contact the tradie on your behalf and help resolve the dispute before it escalates.
What if NSW Fair Trading can’t resolve it?
Unresolved building disputes can be taken to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT). It’s worth getting tailored advice for larger matters.
Can I withhold payment if the job isn’t finished?
You shouldn’t pay for work that wasn’t done as agreed. Keep your scope, photos and messages as evidence, and raise it in writing before withholding the final amount.