Property owner Don Jollie and his wife signed a $479,000 (around £250,000) contract with Melbourne-based custom residential builder Holbrook Homes in 2022.

The couple claim they are still waiting for their project to be finished at Sunbury, about 38km north-west of Melbourne’s CBD.

Mr Jollie reached out to Holbrook Homes director Marcel Nassour explaining he would not be making any further payments.

An email from the company was originally written to engineers, before Mr Jollie claimed it was accidentally sent to him, news.com.au reported.

“I really need your help please, this client is wanting to ensure his frame is 100 per cent up to scratch before he makes any further payments,” the email read.

“Clients have driven me to the brink of insanity because they are scared that if they pay me I will take off.

“These guys are nuts and I just want to pay my bills and move on.”

Mr Jollie explained the bank would not pay another instalment on the build as the second floor of his home had yet to be started.

“They’ve all been coming to my house knowing that (the company) has to get it to a stage where I can give them $70,000 (around £36,000),” Mr Jollie said.

Mr Jollie believes the company could be on the brink of liquidation.

He also fears there would be no more work on his home after a port-a-loo was removed from the property last month.

Mr Nassour explained a progress payment for Mr Jollie’s home was ‘due and payable’ as the frame was now complete. He also claimed the port-a-loo would be returned to the site.

The Holbrook Homes boss denied claims his business was on the brink of collapse and assured customers all its contractual obligations would be fulfilled.