Unpaid trade debts take to the roof by the thousands for revenge

A Melbourne tiler has hit back over an unpaid bill and an ongoing dispute with a builder.

Thousands of dollars were owed to the subcontractor, but after a devastating retaliation on behalf of traders’ rights, the debt has now been paid off.

WATCH VIDEO ABOVE: Tiler hits back over ongoing dispute with builders.

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A $6,500 bill had been outstanding for a year when Xclusive tiler Simon McPherson decided to destroy his own work to make a statement.

He had been hired to roof a house being built in Hadfield and laid the tiles himself – before going onto the roof, ripping them out one by one and throwing them to the ground in a shattered heap.

The moment of the confrontation was filmed by McPherson and another person on site, with the builder caught walking around the building with a sledgehammer and hurling insults at the unpaid tradie.

“Get off the damn roof,” the builder can be heard saying.

“Shut up,” McPherson replies in the footage. “You had 12 months. Make sure no tiler touches this one guys.”

McPherson told 7NEWS that taking back the tiles was the last resort.

“We tried everything to get the money out of this guy like it’s been 12 months since the roofs were up, so I rocked up and ripped it off,” he said.

He adds that the act was legal because of a clause in the company agreement, which a legal expert called a “smart” choice.

“Until full payment, the goods remain the property of Xclusive Tiling,” says the contract.

Thompson Geer’s attorney, Justin Quill, told 7NEWS: “There are a lot of stories about a lot of builders not paying their bills, so I think subbies are wise to make sure their contracts are watertight and give them the right give on return.”

The contractor told 7NEWS the bill was pending because it had been hit hard by the effects of the COVID lockdowns and it had always intended to pay Xclusive Tiling for the job.

When asked if he was happy with his rooftop retaliation, McPherson said, “100 percent. Definitive.”