Steve Payne
Hamilton, Ont. reno salesmen convicted under Consumer Protection Act
Canadian Contractor Permits & LegalIn total, the salesmen, Steven Sardinha and David Packer, will be making $50,000 in restitution to their clients.
Here’s the latest press release from Ontario’s Consumer Protection agency about renovation contractors violating the law in their dealings with customers.
On May 15, 2015, Steven Sardinha and David Packer received suspended sentences, followed by two years’ probation, stemming from convictions on several charges under the Consumer Protection Act on December 9, 2013. Sardinha was ordered to pay $1,000 to consumers and Packer was ordered to pay $10,000. Prior to sentencing, Sardinha had provided $24,000 and Packer $15,000 in restitution.
Between April 2010 and April 2011, consumers in Kitchener, Hamilton and Guelph, Ontario entered into agreements with Sardinha and Packer to purchase water filtration and other renovation services. Both defendants represented themselves as authorized representatives of Global Water Stores when selling products and services, including warranties. When an issue arose about a product and consumers contacted Global Water Store, they learned the defendants were not authorized to sell warranties and other products under the company name.
Home renovation services sold to consumers in Guelph and Kitchener were not performed by licenced contractors, contrary to the defendants’ assurances. In one instance, the required permits were not obtained. The consumers hired other contractors to repair deficiencies.
Justice of the Peace Michael Cuthbertson of the Ontario Court of Justice in Guelph convicted Sardinha and Packer on the charge of engaging in an unfair practice by making false, misleading or deceptive representations to consumers, for each consumer transaction.
Consumers are reminded to check the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services at Ontario.ca/ConsumerBeware before doing business with any company.
QUICK FACTS
· Ontario’s Consumer Protection Act, 2002 provides for fines of up to $250,000 for corporations and $50,000 for individuals convicted of offences. It also provides for jail terms of up to two years less a day for each offence for individuals.
· The act empowers the court to order offenders to pay compensation or make restitution to victims.
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Steve, I worked as the sales manager for this loser years before when Steve Sardinia’s dad Geraldo was alive. He was a wonderful, hardworking old school man. All he wanted was to make an honest businessman out of his son but I tried so hard to express to him that it was never going to happen. I was cheated and robbed of my pay cheques almost every week. So that my crews could be paid I borrowed money each week to make that payroll from lines of credit that the dad and I got together and the son did everything to screw that up. This guy needs to be in jail – nowhere on the outside! He’s never going to change. He will never pay these poor people any kind of restitution, mark my words. But I hope he does. He’s a very, very sad case. He could have had a great business from his father if he would have never been so damn stupid and greedy. To this day I’m out thousands, my credit is still a mess and I wish I could see something from all my hard work, especially being a woman that had to prove herself to so many men. Dog eat dog world at that time.