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Woolworths worker pays for Melbourne mum’s groceries in kind act

Woolworths worker pays for Melbourne mum's groceries in kind act

A Woolworths customer has been left “mortified” after a staff member stepped in to help her out during a tough moment.

The Melbourne woman explained she was having technical issues while paying for her groceries during a recent trip to the supermarket.

At the same time, her newborn baby was “kicking off”, prompting a Woolworths worker to step in and pay for the woman’s groceries.

The customer took to Reddit to explain that while she was very “grateful”, she was also “mortified” over the experience – and wanted to see if there was a way she could thank the woman without getting her in trouble.

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“I just got back from Woolworths where I tried to pay with my phone on self-checkout,” she said.

“It wasn’t working so they printed me a barcode and took me to the service desk to pay, but my phone payment still didn’t work.

“After trying a few times and my newborn kicking off, the staff member said, ‘Don’t worry it’s on me.’

“I was really taken back and asked if I could transfer her the money.

“She said no and then said, seriously it’s on me. My baby was screaming the place down by this point. I was so grateful and also mortified.”

The encounter left the woman asking questions about the Woolies staff member was allowed to do this or if it was “dodgy”.

“I want to go back and give her something to say thank you, but don’t want to get her in trouble if she’s done something she’s not supposed to have done,” she said.

“Anyone work at Woolworths and can tell me what the deal is?”

People were quick to tell the woman to leave it and not draw attention to the worker’s actions.

“Maybe accept the kindness shown and pay it forward to someone else in need. In that way, you don’t risk getting the staff member in trouble,” one person said.

Another added: “What’s more likely? They risk being sacked or even arrested for a total stranger, or pays a few bucks to help out someone obviously trying their best but struggling.

“My partner works at a supermarket and has paid for people before. It feels good. Pay it forward.”

A third, who works at a different supermarket, said: “I’ve paid the difference for a few people that have come up short a couple of times and as far as I’m aware that is completely fine, even seen my boss do Item.

“Don’t know why it would be any different at Woolies. Sounds like excellent customer service to me.”

Another added: “I work at Woolworths, the company only cares if the products are paid for. She likely paid out of her own pocket for you, I’ve done it before.”

Read related topics:MelbourneWoolworths

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Metricon QLD GM Luke Fryer quits, national restructure update this week

Metricon QLD GM Luke Fryer quits, national restructure update this week

The Queensland general manager of troubled builder Metricon has resigned, days after the company announced around 225 staff would be sacked in a national restructure.

Luke Fryer, who had been with the company for 15 years starting as a sales estimator in 2007, was previously NSW GM before moving back to his home state of Queensland in 2020.

Metricon director Jason Biasin announced Mr Fryer’s resignation in an email to staff on Friday.

“The last two years have seen more challenges in our industry than ever before,” Mr Biasin wrote.

“Luke’s commitment to our people, to me personally and our business has been unwavering and will not be forgotten. We wish Luke all the best for the future and he will always remain a part of the Metricon family.”

He added, “I know this week has been very difficult for everyone and I thank you all for your professional and compassionate approach to the tasks at hand and looking after each other. I look forward to sharing more positive news with you next week.”

Metricon has been contacted for comment.

Last Monday, Metricon announced it would be shedding 9 per cent, or about 225 of its 2500-strong national workforce, in a restructure “to better accommodate and reflect the requirements of the current market“.

The affected roles are largely in sales and marketing.

The country’s largest home builder was plunged into crisis in May amid reports it was on the verge of financial ruin and engaging in crisis talks with the Victorian government, following the sudden death of its founder Mario Biasin.

Acting chief executive Peter Langfelder has repeatedly shot down those allegations, but a question mark still hangs over Metricon’s future despite the company’s directors injecting $30 million into its business to allay fears about its survival, and a rescue deal being struck with Commonwealth Bank.

Last month, Metricon listed nearly 60 display homes for sale across NSW, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria, worth a total of around $65 million.

Staff who were informed of the restructure during a Microsoft Teams meeting last week said those who had remained with the company rather than jumping ship “basically had the rug pulled out from under them”.

“It has not been received well by some of them,” one NSW staff member told news.com.au. “I’m a little bit burned by the whole situation.”

In a statement on Tuesday, Metricon confirmed it was in the “process of an internal restructure of the business, with an increased focus on delivering homes to more than 6000 Australians whose houses will be constructed this year”.

“To better accommodate and reflect the requirements of the current market and ensure the most appropriate deployment of resources, Metricon is working to appropriately reduce its sales and marketing capability while it focuses on the construction and delivery of more than 6000 homes,” a spokeswoman said .

“We have commenced a consultation process with our people. This process is proposed to lead to a reduction of personnel and redundancies across the national business.”

The spokeswoman said 2020 and 2021 saw record demand for homebuilding and that Metricon “expects demand to settle at pre-pandemic levels”. “As a result, the business will rebalance towards construction on homes it is currently building and the thousands more in the pipeline – the biggest volume in the company’s history,” she said.

The impacted roles will be at the “front-end of the business, predominantly in sales and marketing roles, representing approximately 9 per cent of the national workforce”.

“With the headwinds buffeting the industry, specifically labor costs due to competition for skills, combined with present global material cost hikes and with our very strong existing pipeline of work, we need to carefully balance the current pipeline of new builds with the construction side of the business,” Mr Langfelder said in the statement.

“We are working to restructure our front-end of the business given the current climate and the need to move forward efficiently. We are committed to looking after any of our people who may be impacted by these proposed changes, and they will continue to have ongoing access to the company’s support and mental health services.”

Mr Langfelder said Metricon was rebalancing the business’ focus over the next 18 months on executing builds as quickly and efficiently as possible whilst maintaining equilibrium in the pipeline.

“We have previously said that our company has a proven history of success and remains profitable and viable, with the full support of our key stakeholders – this remains the case today,” he said.

Mr Langfelder said Metricon was still expected to continue to contract on average 100 homes per week, in line with pre-pandemic levels. “Our future construction pipeline shows no sign of slowing down with more than 600 site-starts scheduled for 2023,” he said.

In an email to staff on Tuesday, Metricon said it would be holding a virtual town hall this week “to provide you with further updates on our business, current market conditions and plans for the future”.

“We do not underestimate the effect that this review is likely to have on some of you,” the directors wrote.

“We are committed to working through this process as thoroughly and efficiently as possible, and to keep you updated as we progress… Despite the current challenges across our industry, we remain stable as a business with full support from our key stakeholders.”

The Australian building industry has been plagued with escalating issues that have already seen Gold Coast-based Condev and industry giant Probuild enter into liquidation in recent months, while smaller operators like Hotondo Homes Hobart and Perth firms Home Innovation Builders and New Sensation Homes, as well as Sydney-based firm Next have also failed, leaving homeowners out of pocket and with unfinished houses.

The crisis is the result of a perfect storm of conditions hitting one after the other, including supply chain disruptions due largely to the pandemic and then the Russia-Ukraine conflict, followed by skilled labor shortages, skyrocketing costs of materials and logistics and extreme weather events .

The industry’s traditional reliance on fixed-price contracts has also seriously exacerbated the problem, with contracts signed months before a build gets underway, including the surging costs of essential materials such as timber and steel.

It comes after it recently emerged that Australia recorded a staggering 3917 liquidations or administration appointments across all industries during the 2021-22 financial year.

The construction sector led the charge, representing 28 per cent of all insolvencies, although firms from countless industries also failed in the face of soaring inflation and interest rate pressures, Covid chaos, labor shortages and supply chain disruptions.

There were 1536 collapses in NSW, with Victoria recording 1022, Queensland 665, WA 350, South Australia 196, 91 for the ACT, 29 for Tasmania and 28 in the Northern Territory.

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— with Alexis Carey

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West Coast Eagles vs Adelaide, Josh Kennedy shakes hands of Crows players, retirement, final game, guard of honor

West Coast Eagles vs Adelaide, Josh Kennedy shakes hands of Crows players, retirement, final game, guard of honor

Josh Kennedy goes down as West Coast’s greatest ever goal kicker, but it’s the veteran’s humility and class that has won praise from his opposition for more than a decade.

After being chaired from the ground on Sunday, as his eight goals fell just short of dragging the West Coast to victory over Adelaide, Kennedy then showed why he is one of the game’s most humble stars.

Kennedy turned back to the Crows and then took the time to shake hands with every player and staff member who joined the Eagles in forming the guard of honor.

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The “classy act” just epitomizes the Eagles’ great who bows out after 293 games and 723 goals – with a premiership, three All Australian jumpers and two Coleman Medals.

And he remained humble through his final press conference too.

“The boys fed me a fair bit. There was probably a lot of ball that came my way that it shouldn’t have,” he said.

“There was a few times pre game, at half time and at the end there where there were moments you know it’s finishing.

“I love being a part of those games, whether you win or lose, I love being a part of those close games.”

Kennedy kicks EIGHT in his finale! | 01:25

Kennedy admitted to feeling nervous in the match and a “little numb” after departing the Optus Stadium turf for the final time, in front of more than 50,000 fans.

“It’s interesting finishing your last game for a while. I’ve never experienced it,” he said.

“You (coach Adam Simpson) were probably yelling in the box but someone handballed over to Boots (Shuey) and he was shoulders out, he had JD (Darling) long inside 50 but he looked inboard to try and handball to me and Liam ( Ryan) ended up stuffing the kick.

“I just thought, ‘boys let’s chill. We need to win this game. Let’s not focus on me’.”

Kennedy even overcame the emotion of losing his best friend’s nana, whose funeral was just days ago, and a woman who helped him as a kid in Northampton.

Josh J. Kennedy gets chaired off the ground in his final game. Picture: Daniel CarsonSource: Getty Images

“She grew us all up back in Northampton. She loved the Eagles. It was a special one for her,” he said.

Eagles coach Adam Simpson was full of praise for Kennedy’s performance in his final match.

“Can you imagine kicking eight in your last game?” I have laughed.

“Unfortunately in that last bit we couldn’t get the four points. But outside that, we tried our hardest.”

Even pre-game Kennedy was at his humble best, stating he just wanted a win for the boys.

“I don’t care if I don’t get a kick, I just want to win and to sing the song one more time in here,” he said.

With his final address as an Eagles player, Kennedy took the time to thank the fans for bringing a “tear to the eye.”

“We as footballers, we’re out there to perform and it feels sometimes, I recognize the consensus is we give a lot to the fans, but they give us so much. They make our game great,” he said.

“They are the reason why we play football.

“And it’s not just home ground – all the fans of the AFL.

“I’ve been so lucky in my carer… it brings a tear to my eye. I can’t thank them enough.”

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NRL 2022: Newcastle Knights investigation racism allegations; David Klemmer, news, updates

NRL 2022: Newcastle Knights investigation racism allegations; David Klemmer, news, updates

The Newcastle Knights’ season has been thrown into even more disarray after it was revealed that the club was investigating an alleged racist remark made by a staff member.

According to Newcastle Heraldthe complaint was made after a lower-grade indigenous player was told to “stop playing like a blackfella and get back to structure”.

Newcastle are reportedly investigating the alleged racist remark, and are taking the matter very seriously.

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According to the Herald, it was not the player in question who raised the complaint to the Knights.

“I can confirm the process if there are any allegations of racial vilification,” Knights chief executive Phil Gardner said told Newcastle Herald.

“They will be handled very firmly by the club.

“The outcomes could lead to a range of sanctions, which could be suspended, ends or

“Anyone found guilty would be dealt with on that basis, although it’s very important that allegations aren’t treated as truth or fact, because it could impact on those people in their future careers … if it’s not factual, it shouldn’t be reported .”

This investigation it not at all linked to David Klemmer’s situation at the club, after he was given a show cause notice after an on-field incident.

Klemmer allegedly refused to leave the field and verbally abused trainer Hayden Knowles during the Knights’ 14-point loss to the Bulldogs.

The Telegraph reported on Thursday that claimed the star forward had called the trainer a “c***” and told him to “shut the f*** up”.

Journalist Brent Read understands that the former Blues representative had apologized to coach Adam O’Brien over text message.

While the prop has been dropped for this weekend’s clash with the Wests Tigers, amid earlier reports that he could have his contract torn up, it’s believed that he could return next weekend.

Originally published as Under-fire Newcastle Knights rocked as racism allegations revealed

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Canberra Raiders vs Penrith Panthers, Api Koroisau crowd drama, preview, news, Viking clap,

Canberra Raiders vs Penrith Panthers, Api Koroisau crowd drama, preview, news, Viking clap,

The Raiders will welcome the Penrith Panthers to the nation’s capital for the first time in four years – where an increasingly heated recent rivalry will come to the fore once again.

Since the Panthers last visited GIO Stadium in 2018, tensions between the two sides have ratcheted up multiple levels thanks to a series of incidents, from Panthers fans mocking the Green Machine’s famous Viking Clap on Penrith soil, to the heated failures after Raiders prop Joe Tapine was caught in the middle of a Panthers try celebration.

Now both sides are ready to summarize what has become one of the most fierce showdowns in the past two seasons, with plenty on the line for both sides.

According to Nine, an unnamed senior Canberra staff member declared the club had been waiting for this match all season – and are out to ‘ambush’ a Panthers side they labeled ‘arrogant’.

“We don’t like their attitude – plain and simple,” the senior Raiders official said.

“We have been waiting for this game and are planning an ambush.

“They are arrogant and we aim to bring them down a few pegs.”

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Panthers fans perform the ‘Viking Clap’ when hosting the Raiders at BlueBet Stadium in April.Source: Getty Images

But it’s not just the home side who is fired up for the clash against ladder-leading Penrith, needing to bounce back from a defeat to Parramatta but missing Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai.

Panthers hooker Api Koroisau said his side was more than ready for the heat coming their way.

Koroisau told the Western Weekender: “I just remember the last few times we’ve played Canberra; it’s always been very hostile – we’ve started a mini rivalry I think.

“To go down there, I think their crowd has always been a bit hostile, so I’m not expecting much of a reception from them on Saturday.”

Canberra sit ninth on the ladder on for-and-against, but have put together three-straight wins in their hunt for a finals spot.

“They have so much to play for, they are a really dangerous team and, when they do get it right, they do really challenge teams,” Koroisau said.

“We’re going to have to be at our best. Obviously, we’ve got a few people out but that’s no excuse these days because there’s so many good players around and so many people coming up in the team.

“We’re going to have to be up for the challenge this weekend.”

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Perth woman booted off Jetstar flight for wild suitcase issue

Perth woman booted off Jetstar flight for wild suitcase issue

Ready to begin the five hour flight from Sydney to Perth, Clare Vertannes had her Apple Airpods and noise-cancelling headphones on when she was approached by a Jetstar flight attendant.

At first, the actress and events co-ordinator thought she was being upgraded to first class.

Unfortunately, reality was less desirable.

“I was sitting there minding my own business, and then she was like: ‘Can you please come with me?’” Ms Vertannes told news.com.au, speaking of the flight she took in April 2022.

“I was getting really excited because it genuinely didn’t cross my mind [that I was about to get kicked off the plane]. It’s wasn’t until we walked off the plane, that I started asking questions.”

‘A very dangerous item’

Once her and the flight attendant were on the tarmac, the Perth woman was informed that staff had found a “very dangerous item” – a battery pack – in her checked luggage.

While portable chargers containing a lithium ion battery are banned from check-in baggage, Ms Vertannes was certain she had not packed hers in her suitcase.

“I held up my battery pack and told them I didn’t have a second one,” she said.

“The flight attendants that kicked me off the plane were really rude. I understand they have jobs to do but they didn’t even give me the time of day to explain.

“I asked them to call someone to confirm because there was nothing in my suitcase but I was told to go to baggage claim.”

At the same time she was told she would miss her existing flight and she’d have to pay for her next one.

She claims the flight attendant told her she wouldn’t be reimbursed “because you’ve held up everyone on the current flight”.

On her way to baggage claim, Ms Vertannes began crying.

“It was like I was going to the principal’s office. It was so terrible,” she said.

However, she remembers the surreal moment when she realized the airport had made a terrible mistake. As she was walking to the baggage claim, she claims to have overheard a staff member on the phone.

“She was like: ‘Why would she do that? What’s wrong with you people? I told you to wait for confirmation,’” said Ms Vertannes.

“She then saw us walking towards her she just stops and says into the phone: ‘I think the lady you’ve kicked off is in front of me and she is not impressed.’”

A missed flight and a miscommunication

That’s when she was told that there had been “a miscommunication”. While airport staff had initially found something dangerous in her bag, it turned out to be a false alarm.

“There was nothing in my suitcase. I was actually hoping that there had been something wrong with my luggage, especially after all this drama,” joked Ms Vertannes.

“I said look: ‘Thank you for your apology but I need to get home. Can I get back on my flight now?’”

However, in the time Ms Vertannes had reported to baggage claim, her original flight had taken off. She was then told the next flight wouldn’t be until tomorrow.

While Ms Vertannes said the airline initially refused to pay for another flight that day, she was determined to return to Perth.

“I literally just sat there and stared at her. I know the airport staff was doing their best but I knew that nothing was going to get done unless I just sat there,” she said.

After “an hour or two”, she was approached by a Qantas staff member, who are the parent company for Jetstar. In another twist of events, she had been offered a flight for that day free of charge, however it was scheduled for 8pm, which at that point was around eight hours away.

Looking back at her airport debacle, Ms Vertannes said she was surprised by the lack of services given to her by the airlines.

In a statement to news.com.au, Jetsar says they “sincerely apologize for any misunderstanding and are looking into what took place”.

Much to be desired

Despite the “miscommunication,” she claims she was told she was unable to check in her luggage early. While she decided to meet up with her boyfriend from her back in the Sydney CBD, she was told that she would have had to pay $50 to store her luggage from her at the airport.

Another blow came as she was sitting in her Qantas seat.

“I’m sitting on the Qantas flight and I get an email from Jetstar. It says: ‘thank you so much for your purchase of a pie. That’s $10,’” she said.

“Someone on my flight had charged on foot to my seat and I got that invoice. I was done.

“I remember getting that on the flight and not even being surprised.”

The experience left much to be desired.

Now, in the four months from the ill-fated flight, Ms Vertannes says she’s finally ready to talk about her it.

“When I got back I genuinely needed to recover from the trauma,” she said.

Sharing her experience on TikTok, Ms Vertannes amassed more than 67,100 views, 5100 likes and 285 comments.

Despite this, she hasn’t been thrilled with the airline’s response.

“The flight really upset me. It had an effect on my mental health and it was really stressful. [I asked for] two return flights to a destination around Australia,” she said

“I wanted some form of compensation and I thought I was being quite reasonable.”

To date, in documents seen by news.com.au, Ms Vertannes has been given a $116.22 cash refund and a $350.76 voucher which Jetstar says aligns with the purchase methods used to buy her flight from Jetstar to Qantas.

Later, when she tried to get reimbursed for the $50 taxi fare into the city, she was told they were “unable to provide you with any compensation nor cover your out of pocket expenses”.

“I kept on being in all these phone calls but everything just got too annoying so I took the voucher,” she said.

“But all I wanted was just some compensation and to not be left on the phone for two hours. It’s not that hard.”

Read related topics:PerthSydney

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Willoughby Homes building company collapses, goes into voluntary administration

Willoughby Homes building company collapses, goes into voluntary administration

A NSW building company has gone into voluntary administration, leaving at least 30 homes in limbo.

On Friday night, Sydney-based Willoughby Homes appointed external administrators.

The company collapsed just over 24 hours after NSW Fair Trading suspended its building license for failing to pay back debts ordered by a court.

Homeowners were informed via email late on Friday that David Mansfield and Jason Tracy of Deloitte’s turnaround and restructuring department had been appointed as joint administrators.

A sister company of Willoughby Homes, Project 360 Degrees, which was run by the same leadership team, is also part of the administration proceedings.

It comes after an extensive news.com.au investigation found the company has been non-functional for some time, with build sites stalling for as long as a year, the company’s home building insurance not being reinstated and finally, all its offices being cleared out and phone lines going straight to voicemail.

News.com.au understands around 30 homes were in the pipeline to be built and that at least 10 creditors are owed money. There are also around eight staff members who will be impacted, although it’s understood they had all ceased working at the company in the last several weeks. Staff had not been paid their superannuation in the months leading up to the collapse and one staff member is owed $53,000 in wages.

One creditor, Regno Trades, is owed $184,000 and has a court date hearing this Wednesday calling for Willoughby Homes to “be wound up in insolvency”.

At least 10 contractors are chasing Willoughby Homes over unpaid debts and more than a dozen customers have taken them to NCAT demanding their deposits or progress payments be returned as works have stalled.

Although Regno Trades has applied for Willoughby Homes to be placed into liquidation over a $184,310 payment, several other creditors have also taken legal action.

Five companies have applied for a default judgment over payments they claim is owed to them: H & R Interiors ($73,925), Prospa Advance Millers ($60,913), Scaffolding Australia ($22,794), ATF Services ($5,658) and Green Resources Material Australia ($6,503). ).

Elba Kitchens claimed to news.com.au that they were owed around $80,000 from Willoughby Homes.

Trueform Frames and Trusses claim they are waiting on an outstanding payment from Willoughby Homes of $24,684 from an invoice issued more than seven months ago while Finese Electrical and Air Conditioning claims it is owed $4531 from jobs done in February.

News.com.au knows of two other suppliers owed money.

It’s understood these creditors have not yet been contacted about the company’s voluntary administration.

News.com.au has contacted the administrators for comment.

Do you know more or have a similar story? Continue the conversation | [email protected]

The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) ordered Willoughby Homes to pay back $76,837 to a customer on June 8 and then last week, on July 21, another homeowner was also awarded $38,456, payable immediately.

Both debts were never paid, prompting the building license of Willoughby Homes to be suspended on Thursday.

Two employees who quit several months are also owed thousands in unpaid superannuation in what they said was a sign that the company was on the brink of collapse.

Xavier* worked in the sales department of Willoughby Homes for more than a year before he was made redundant in February 2021. The father-of-three claims he is still yet to be paid $53,000 from his commission fees. To recover the money, he’s spent around $5,000 on lawyers although his latest legal letter from him has gone ignored for months.

He also learned he was owed about $7000 in unpaid superannuation from Willoughby Homes.

Another staff member, Eric*, was owed about $5000 in super and had to get tax authorities to intercede on his behalf to recover his cash.

In June, news.com.au flagged that Willoughby Homes was on its last legs as some customers watched their dream home languish for months in the final stages of the project.

Several other aspiring homeowners forked out tens of thousands in a deposit as long ago as 2020 and to date, nothing has been done on their empty site.

News.com.au also knows of at least two customers who signed a contract with Willoughby Homes when the company was not able to enter into any new contracts.

NSW insurer iCare had not reinstated Willoughby Homes’ Home Builders Compensation Fund (HBCF) since April 2021, with the state body rejecting multiple applications, it confirmed to news.com.au.

That means the construction firm could not begin any new projects that required HBCF — so any project costing more than $20,000.

A NSW Fair Trading spokesperson told news.com.au that “It is a breach of the Home Building Act for a builder to enter into a contract to complete residential building work above $20,000 without HBCF insurance”.

Mum-of-three Marice Hartono and her husband, from North Ryde, gave out $38,000 to the builder as a deposit while Greg Denton and his wife paid $22,000 for a Central Coast home.

Both customers are not insured as they signed after Willoughby Homes’ HBCF had not been renewed and are not entitled to any compensation from the fund.

Ms Hartono told news.com.au she was “devastated” to hear the news that the company had gone bust as it’s left so many “unanswered questions” about what this means for her deposit and her plans of a dream home.

Since June, NSW Fair Trading has been actively investigating Willoughby Homes, with the government department telling news.com.au “The investigation into Willoughby Homes Pty Ltd is ongoing and no comment can be made at this time.

“NSW Fair Trading encourages anyone who has contracted with this trader to call 13 32 20.”

On Thursday, the entity used its powers against Willoughby Homes to suspend its license, effectively stopping the company’s ability to trade at all.

NSW Fair Trading took the drastic action of using Section 42A of the Home Building Act 1989, which allowed them to “automatically suspend a contractor license where the holder fails to comply with an order by a court or the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) to pay money for a building claim by the due date”.

Not long after, administrators were appointed to the struggling company.

Customers have been left reeling over the long months of waiting as the company floundered.

Cherry Cobrador-Wong, 33, and her husband Logan Wong, 35, from Sydney’s west, who recently had a baby, are behind in mortgage and rent because they claim their house has been left untouched since November when it was nearing its final stages.

“I’m crying all the time. I’m emotionally saddened and destroyed,” she previously told news.com.au.

Saif Nabi and his wife Hanniya as well as their two-year-old son have also been left in the lurch.

“One and a half years into it and we’re not closer, it’s just an empty lot of land,” Mr Nabi lamented.

At first the Nabi family were ecstatic about building their dream home in Box Hill, forking out $18,000 in an initial deposit.

But as the months passed by, Mr Nabi said the situation turned “into a nightmare” and he called to mutually end the contract.

“Since then it’s just been complete radio silence,” he said.

Sarah Little and Nikki Young are two more impacted homeowners who forked out $29,000 as a deposit but have yet to see a single worker set foot on their vacant lot.

The pair of paramedics signed with Willoughby Homes in March last year for a $291,000 four-bedroom, two-bathroom home in Menangle Park, in Sydney’s south west.

“It’s taken a pretty big toll on our mental health and we’ve gone from being pretty financially stable to now having to really consider if we can even afford the home we dreamed of.”

*Names withheld over privacy concerns

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