The disgruntled clients gave evidence at a Consumer Affairs prosecution, detailing how they paid $130,000 to Andrew Michael Renn for extensive landscaping work, which was incomplete and defective.
He undertook at Easter 2014 to finish the work in four months, but by Christmas, it was still not done, the Melbourne Magistrates Court heard this week.
Renn sent an email abandoning the project, saying he was mentally unwell. But the court heard he was seen that summer: wining and dining in Sorrento.
"Dear oh dear," magistrate Fiona Stewart said, describing the offending as "really serious". She lamented that because Renn was bankrupt and the company, Tamandco Pty Ltd, is in liquidation, the whole process may be a toothless tiger and the pair may have no money at the end.
"You can't get blood out of a stone," she said. "You are to be commended for pursuing it for no other reason than to be a good citizen and warn other people."
The pair employed Renn because they knew a friend of his father's who was a landscaper with a very good reputation.
Warning bells about his professionalism sounded early when, after paying a deposit of $37,500 (far in excess of the legal limit of 5 per cent), the woman had to chase him up, asking when he was going to start.
"There was always a delay," she explained. "They were progressing very slowly."
The court heard Renn was rarely at the site. The woman's husband spent every weekend for two years trying to fix the problems which were caused. The court heard they struggled to find funds to remedy and finish the work.
Ms Stewart looked at photos of the yard, including faulty rendering and said: "You must be so cross and upset, to say nothing about being out of pocket. Nothing I do will make up for what you have had to deal with."
The woman said: "We've had to move on, you can't hang on to it. It affects my husband more. He's out there fixing it, finding mistakes every weekend.
"My husband and I understand we are not going to get anything out of it. We get phone calls from other people who have used him. We want to make sure he doesn't trade any more. He can't do this to other people."
The magistrate convicted Renn, who did not attend the hearing.
Renn was also fined $10,000 by the Victorian Building Authority and in 2015 had his building registration cancelled over non-compliant work on a deck, pergola and carport in a separate case in Hawthorn.
In that instance, a 50 per cent deposit was required.
The court heard his registration had been suspended a number of times by the Domestic Building body.
VCAT also ordered he pay the couple $38,331 for incomplete and defective works, but that has not been received.
The Magistates Court heard subcontractors were also out of pocket, but liquidators say there is no money.
"This is the problem," Ms Stewart added. "It's terrible."
