A ROSEBUD-based building company that allegedly took hefty deposits and abandoned projects has been permanently banned from operating following an order by the Supreme Court.
A court injunction secured by the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) found that Peninsula Building Projects Pty Ltd and director Clancy John (CJ) Fulton had been practicing as an unregistered builder, falsely using another registration of another builder and taking upfront deposits exceeding legal limits.
A court statement revealed that one consumer had handed over $100,000 to renovate a master bedroom and ensuite only for the builder to leave after demolition and not finishing the job.
Up to 100 customers could have been impacted by Peninsula Building Projects, the VBA believes. The company had promoted itself as specialising in bathroom, kitchen and home renovations and new builds. According to the VBA, “the court was told deposits were paid ahead of the build starting or during construction, then work stopped and the company became uncontactable”.
The Supreme Court injunction will ban the company “from carrying out any business as a builder” with Fulton himself barred from being a registered building practitioner. “The orders also stop the company and its director from establishing or promoting a business as a builder,” a statement from the VBA said. “This includes providing quotes for proposed work, entering into contracts, rendering invoices, accepting money or being in any way involved in the promotion or establishment of a building business.”
However, the injunction does not prevent Fulton from working as a carpenter “in very limited circumstances for a registered builder, as registered builders have ultimate responsibility for their project,” the VBA said.
The VBA won an interim injunction against the company and Fulton in December last year after the alleged behaviour was discovered. VBA commissioner and CEO Anna Cronin said the ruling sent a strong message to unregistered practitioners. “Always check your builder is registered for jobs over $10,000 – no matter how slick a website they may have,” she said. If CJ Fulton breaches the order, he could face jail time.
First published in the Mornington News – 10 June 2025
