Magistrate Brett Sonnett convicted the 44 year old and fined him more than $77,000 including costs after he was found guilty of charges relating to work he did for a Geelong homeowner at two sites.
In June 2025, Milic was pulled over by Victoria Police for speeding near Portland. This led to the execution of an eight-year-old arrest warrant for six offences under the Building Act and Domestic Building Contracts Act.
The offences include working while unregistered and without a building permit, not having the required insurance and therefore entering into an illegal contract.
Milic then breached his bail conditions multiple times by not turning up to the Melbourne Magistrates Court for the hearing which eventually went ahead without him.
In sentencing, Magistrate Sonnett describing Milic's offending as "grave in nature" and at the "highest end of the spectrum."
The Magistrate also noted the level of pre-meditated planning and significant abuse of trust in defrauding the homeowner which resulted in substantial financial loss.
The court heard Milic had entered into a contract with a homeowner to partially demolish and remove a property in Brunswick and relocate it to a site in North Geelong without obtaining a permit for either site.
When the homeowner realised Milic was unregistered, uninsured and there were no building permits in place, he terminated the agreement.
He then took the matter to VCAT which ordered Milic to pay more than $26,000 in damages. To date the homeowner is yet to receive any money.
Demolition work always requires a permit and has specific requirements attached to ensure the safety of the community.
Consumers should always use a registered builder and a registered or licensed plumber. You can check if your builder or plumber is registered on our Find a Practitioner webpage.
Quotes attributable to BPC Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer Anna Cronin
"This conviction sends a strong message to those who continue to work illegally – there's a new smarter regulator in town doing everything we can to stop you."
"Building or renovating a home is a huge investment and consumers need to make sure they are protected by ensuring they hire registered builders."
"Our new powers coming into effect later this year will significantly improve consumer protection but they will only be effective in getting your building fixed if your builder is registered."
