A Melbourne family faced an unexpected ordeal when 26 grimy mattresses were mysteriously left on their driveway after they posted a negative review. The incident has deeply affected their children, though they’ve recently achieved a small but meaningful victory.
Laura and Jarrod Maultby, caught in a protracted legal battle with the waste management company Junk, never foresaw that their dispute would escalate into a costly saga exceeding $200,000. The couple now worries they might have to sell their home to cover expenses.
Residing in Langwarrin, southeast of Melbourne, the Maultbys initially contacted Junk to dispose of a small stack of decaying wood. They were shocked when they received a $514 invoice in June.
Believing the charge was excessively high, the couple withheld payment, while Junk maintained that the pricing was clearly communicated from the start.
Hidden within the company’s terms and conditions was a clause that would eventually create trouble: if a payment was not made, Junk reserved the right to return ‘an equivalent amount of waste’ to the client’s premises.
Soon after the dispute, the Maultbys discovered that 26 worn-out mattresses had been discarded in front of their house.
This prompted Ms Maultby to leave negative reviews about her experience with the company.
Junk dumped 26 mattresses at the Maultbys Langwarrin property in a dispute over a $500 bill
Laura Maultby told the Daily Mail she and her husband will vow to keep fighting for their children
What started as a $514 dispute exploded into multiple lawsuits filed by Junk in two different states, actions claiming the family had ‘disparaged’ the business and caused it to lose revenue.
The company launched multiple legal actions against the Maultbys across two states, filing separate proceedings in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), the Queensland District Court, and the Supreme Court of Victoria.
The company claimed its weekly revenue dropped by more than $25,000 after the Maultbys’ reviews were posted across TikTok, Google, and review sites.
‘Look, it’s harrowing, it’s been a nightmare, it’s been the worst 12 months of our lives to be honest,’ Ms Maultby said.
According to court documents obtained by Daily Mail Australia, Junk accused the family of posting six separate ‘false’ reviews in June last year, including comments that the business ‘rips and scams its customers’ and ‘charges more than its quotes.’
The company also rejected claims its owner, Richard Furnari, made ‘many calls in quick succession’ to the couple in a ‘harassing manner.’
After months of stress and mounting legal bills, the Maultbys finally received a reprieve this week when the Queensland District Court dismissed one of the cases against them, while the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal also refused to hear duplicate actions.
The original pile of trash the Maultbys hired Junk to remove
The Maultby family have endured a nightmare
‘We’ve had a lot of support from our community and now two courts have told them Junk there is a more appropriate forum,’ Ms Maultby told Daily Mail Australia.
‘It’s great that VCAT are pushing back against duplicated legal actions and they won’t allow Junk to pursue us in multiple courts.
‘We thank both the District Court of Queensland and VCAT for recognising the importance of keeping this matter confined to one court.’
While the couple say they’re relieved, the fight isn’t over as a Supreme Court case remains active.
The ordeal has taken a brutal toll on their family.
‘This process has taken a huge toll on our young family, both emotionally and financially, but we’re incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received from our friends, our amazing lawyers and our community over the past 15 years,’ Ms Maultby said.
‘And of course, we’re thankful to our family, our future is unclear unfortunately and we’re just focusing on keeping positive for our girls who have been badly affected, but I do have faith in the court systems and good people.’
The family launched a GoFundMe campaign to help with the mounting legal costs, raising just over $20,000 of their $100,000 goal.
‘We questioned an invoice, spoke out online and now to save us from losing our house we’ve had to do a GoFundMe campaign unfortunately.
‘We hadn’t refused to pay the invoice, we just queried it and wanted to come to a resolution with the business due to confusing quotations,’ she said.
The mattresses viewed from inside the home
‘We shared our story on social media, asking for help and advice. Our story went viral, and several news outlets covered what had happened.
‘Since then, we’ve received numerous different legal threats from numerous persons and companies associated with the business.’
‘We are now facing the heartbreaking prospect of selling our already mortgaged home simply to defend ourselves and repay the family members who have sacrificed so much to support us,’ she added.
‘This isn’t just about us, it’s about anyone who has ever tried to speak up before.’
