Tradesman accused of taking cupboard doors and demanding thousands in ransom
A Sydney tradesman is being accused by customers of taking kitchen doors before demanding an extra $3000 to return them.
Allen Soltani, owner of Unique Resurfacing Services, allegedly quotes clients an upfront price to remove and refurbish kitchen doors before demanding an additional $3000 to finish the job.
Allen Soltani is accused of asking customers to cough up an extra $3000 to have their cupboard doors returned. A Current Affair
One customer, Sandra, paid Soltani $8500 in full, only to get an email demanding a further $3500 for extra work that was never proven or completed.
“Unique Resurfacing is a company of knobs. Not one knob, but as many as you want to think about,” she told A Current Affair, holding a handful of door knobs.
Six months after Soltani uninstalled every cupboard door and panel, Sandra was left with an empty kitchen, eventually spending $10,000 with another company to start fresh.
“How [can] a person on this planet do this to another person in this stage in her life?” Sandra questioned.
Another vulnerable customer, who is undergoing chemotherapy, claims Soltani took her money and held her kitchen doors captive under the same demand for an extra $3000.
Sandra’s had to pay another company $10,000 for new cupboard doors. A Current Affair
In an email sent to clients, Soltani claimed he was suspending business operations due to health issues, staff shortages, and cash flow problems, while simultaneously demanding extra payments to finalise ongoing jobs.
When confronted by A Current Affair, Soltani called the police, claimed he was unwell, and used his vehicle to briefly block the news crew’s car from driving away.
Affected customers say they are refusing to pay Soltani's extra demands and are preparing to take the tradesman to the tribunal to recover their lost funds.
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