Spencer Porter Prosecuted and Found Guilty
Spencer Porter has been fined $4,000 for breaches of South Australia’s building laws.
Porter offered tiny home kits for sale through his companies MyTinyHomeKit and Property Magician, telling consumers he would organise both council approvals and builders to carry out works.
Spencer made assurances to customers that he was neither licensed to do, nor capable of offering.
Tiny Homes Never Supplied
Through is company MyTinyHomeKit, Spencer porter sold and failed to deliver over 40 tiny houses, costing customers between $18,000 and $80,000. The total amounted to over $1 million.
Spencer Porter’s Prosecution
In 2021, 24 year old Spencer Porter of Clyde in Victoria operated a business called Property Magician, which had offered the sale and installation of tiny home kits around Australia. Subsequently he has opened two other companies, MyTinyHomeKit and G’day Steel.
In a prosecution brought by consumer watchdog Consumer and Business Services, the Adelaide Magistrates Court was told that Porter was contacted by a South Australian interested in purchasing one of the kits.
The consumer was told council approvals — if needed — were included in the purchase price, and that builders would be able to install both solar panels a composting toilet and a dual water tank if needed.
Porter was subsequently paid $27,500, but the kit was never provided or constructed.
Spencer Porter is currently selling tiny homes through the company MyTinyHomeKit Pty. Ltd.
Spencer Porter Pays Compensation to Consumer
The court was told that the month prior to sentencing, Porter had paid the consumer $35,000 as compensation for both the goods that were not provided and the site works undertaken by the consumer in anticipation of construction.
Magistrate Lynette Duncan fined Porter and the business a total of $4,000.
Making Assurances He Was Not Capable of Fulfilling
Commissioner for Consumer and Business Services, Dini Soulio, said, “Our licensing regime helps people choose a builder with confidence that the person they are hiring has the skills needed to do the job.”
“In this case, the individual had made assurances he was neither licensed to do nor capable of offering.
“This case highlights why it’s so important for people to do their homework when engaging a builder. Ensuring a builder is licensed to do the job is a vital way of helping to protect your investment.
“We understand Porter is continuing to sell the kit homes, but is no longer purporting to manage the build of the properties.”
- Read the full story of Spencer Porter’s conviction
