I like you have had the exact thing happen in regards to a builder. I too along with many other poeple I know can produce photos that provide the fact behind the negative feedback placed on this site. My WOMF served as a consumer warning not a head hunt of a builder. I am astounded that this sort of thing can be allowed to happen...... The builder I refer too has ensured that only positive comments are placed about the company. Maybe I should stand outside the 1.3 million dollar display home in Fairfield Waters with the photos I have of the property they built!!!!!!!

Posted 25 Jul 2008 by dober21

I know that here in Australia it's pretty hard to get the truth out about stuff like this. On my own web-site, www.renovateaustralia.com, I have been threatened with a law suit for something that I wrote about a very crappy builder that I had dealings with on our house.

The only way that I could stop the threatened law suit was to remove all references to the builder on the site, even though everything I wrote was truth. I could have pursued it and fought the suit in court, but it would have cost me, and I would probably have had no way of recovering the costs.

Have a search on-line about it, but it's pretty easy to get sued for writing a negative review of someone.

Posted 6 Aug 2008 by billhutchison

I did think that was what this site was all about.. The good, the bad and the ugly. A forum that gave "independant" view points on different business services. I know on the bloggs I have listed on here, I have named the various companies. I think it can be very constructive for companies to learn their "bad points" and if they chose not to address the problems when the customers approached them with no satisfactory resolution, well cop the bad reviews.

If one person bloggs a negative response to a company's services, it does allow another person to counter that with a positive experience. This allows us the readers, to make a more informed decision on how we feel about that particular company.

Of course there is a respective limit to how much you go about your listing your unhappiness, but like I have said before, credit where credit is due and vice versa!

Posted 19 Aug 2008 by 1Sweetbaby

The builder in mention responded to my original blog, almost as soon as I wrote it. There were no actual good responses for that builder, and if anything there were only responses stating that what i had written was actually defamation towards that builder, when in fact, it could not be classed as defamation as the allegations against said builder were actual fact.

I am bewildered also how this site can take advice from a company to take negative feedback down about it. This is an embarrassment for this website, and the people that created it. How much other stuff aren't we hearing about in Townsville because this website wont allow negative feedback?

Posted 20 Aug 2008 by jayson5

I too, had respnded to a WOMF on this website which related to the builder of the 1.3million dollar display home, which along with other truthful WOMFERS was removed. I too stated only truth, and nothing even remotly defamatory.

Perhaps someone should take the last womfers advice (before it was removed) and take it to the media. Then the truth about this company cannot just 'disappear' as it did on WOMF.

It's amazing how now there are now NO truthful comments about this company on here, and if there were to be, i guess they too would be removed.

DISAPPOINTED WOMFER.

Posted 20 Aug 2008 by rottilover

All good comments. As a person who needs to hire a builder I was relying on the site to be a good resource in avoiding some of the horror stories. I just regret that I had not looked up the site earlier before the comments were removed.

It seems unethical to have information about sub-standard and potentially dangerous contractors and not share it with potential victims. Does this mean that if I can prove WOMF had information regarding the builder and I receive sub-standard service I can sue WOMF for withholding information in the public interest or that has led to me being out-of-pocket or forced to live in unsafe conditions?

Now, instead of a few builders being suspect ... all of them are.

Posted 21 Aug 2008 by lurker

The problem with Australian Law is that even if something is the truth, you can be sued for defamation. I know it is stupid but that is the fact. That said, any company or business without the guts to stand up and discuss something publicly deserves only contempt! Personally if someone said something derogatory about MY business I would respond either with an apology, and a promise to make things right. (As I have had to do on occassion). OR I would take that person to task and confront the negative response. We have been using Adrian to do our home renovations over the past year and he has been, and still is one of the most excellent and personable builders I have ever had the pleasure to deal with. We chose to live in the house while the renovations were done around us. Adrian has handled the electricians, plumbers, tilers, roofies.. the lot! We are now nearing the end of the reno's after a year. (From new roof to entire gutting of the house and rebuilding). Next week the sanders and polishers come in and we will finally have our house back. BUT I have to say that Adrian is THE best! Builders (mid to larger) are the thinnest skinned characters of any business and they should get up and speak up instead of hiding behind The Law. Shame on them! Gutless people hiding behind lawyers and sadly, they have the law on their side. Defamation laws in Australia are a sad indictment on Australia in general. If anyone has anything bad (or good) to say about MY company, if it is truthful and honest you will never be threatened with the law. If it's lies and deliberate attempts to ruin my business then of course we would sue. But not until we had responded. Builder.. GROW UP and come out from behind your lawyers gowns!

Posted 21 Aug 2008 by thinktank

Obviously a solution is needed as this site is used by people to decide wether a builder is good or bad or indifferent, thats why I have logged on, so maybe just the name of the builder and a thumbs down is needed, then we will all know that you have had a negative experience with that builder, no information needed and surely no builder can ask for a simple thumbs down to be removed... surely....

Posted 23 Aug 2008 by lou86