Remember when a bad review just meant poor service—not courtrooms and threats?
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A Melbourne mum thought leaving a bad review would be the end of it.
Instead, it led to courtrooms, debt, and the threat of losing her family home.
Now she’s warning others that speaking out online can come with devastating consequences.
Laura and Jarrod Maultby believed they were dealing with a simple trash removal job when they contacted the Melbourne company Junk last June.
They had expected to pay a reasonable fee to get rid of disintegrated wood from their Langwarrin home in the city’s southeast.
But when the $514 invoice arrived, they were shocked.
According to Junk, the cost had been clearly outlined in their paperwork—alongside a clause stating that if the bill remained unpaid, equivalent waste would be returned to the property.
Within 48 hours of questioning the charge, 26 stained, used mattresses were dumped outside the couple’s driveway.
‘Look, it’s harrowing, it’s been the worst 12 months of our lives to be honest,’ Ms Maultby shared.
The working parents of two daughters then did what many others might have done—they shared their experience online.
Six posts and reviews later, their nightmare escalated into multiple lawsuits spanning two states and hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees.
‘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,’ Ms Maultby said.
The couple said they had not refused to pay the invoice and simply wanted clarity on what they believed were ‘confusing quotations’.
Junk Group Pty Ltd later served them a statement of claim accusing them of ‘injurious falsehood’ and breaches of consumer law.
The business also alleged it lost $25,281 in weekly revenue following the couple’s negative posts.
Junk targeted three videos uploaded by Ms Maultby to social media, plus reviews posted to Google, TrustPilot, and another consumer site—all since deleted.
One of the disputed claims accused the company of scamming its customers and charging more than quoted.
The business also denied an allegation that its owner, Richard Furnari, made harassing phone calls to the couple.
Mr Furnari previously confirmed the mattresses had been collected and said the company would seek payment via VCAT.
However, the legal battle spiralled beyond what the couple ever expected.
‘We’re not the ones suing so we didn’t instigate any lawsuit,’ Ms Maultby said.
The family has now spent close to $200,000 on legal fees and borrowed heavily from elderly relatives.
‘The last year has drained our resources and nearly broken our spirits,’ Ms Maultby wrote in her GoFundMe appeal.
‘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.’
They are currently the subject of three legal proceedings—one in the Supreme Court of Victoria, another in the District Court of Queensland, and a third in VCAT.
While the Queensland case has been dismissed for now, Ms Maultby said it could be resumed in Victoria.
The Supreme Court case is on hold but remains active.
‘This isn’t just about us, it’s about anyone who has ever tried to speak up before,’ she added.
Sometimes, questioning a major institution or speaking up about a mistake can set off a chain of events no one expects.
Legal battles, emotional strain, and financial uncertainty can all follow—especially when the system seems stacked against you.
Read more: Bank's $700,000 mortgage blunder sparks ‘torturous’ legal battle–find out why
How much should it cost to speak your mind?
Instead, it led to courtrooms, debt, and the threat of losing her family home.
Now she’s warning others that speaking out online can come with devastating consequences.
Laura and Jarrod Maultby believed they were dealing with a simple trash removal job when they contacted the Melbourne company Junk last June.
They had expected to pay a reasonable fee to get rid of disintegrated wood from their Langwarrin home in the city’s southeast.
But when the $514 invoice arrived, they were shocked.
Couple stunned by $514 junk removal bill. Image source: GoFundMe
According to Junk, the cost had been clearly outlined in their paperwork—alongside a clause stating that if the bill remained unpaid, equivalent waste would be returned to the property.
Within 48 hours of questioning the charge, 26 stained, used mattresses were dumped outside the couple’s driveway.
‘Look, it’s harrowing, it’s been the worst 12 months of our lives to be honest,’ Ms Maultby shared.
The working parents of two daughters then did what many others might have done—they shared their experience online.
Six posts and reviews later, their nightmare escalated into multiple lawsuits spanning two states and hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees.
‘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,’ Ms Maultby said.
The couple said they had not refused to pay the invoice and simply wanted clarity on what they believed were ‘confusing quotations’.
Junk Group Pty Ltd later served them a statement of claim accusing them of ‘injurious falsehood’ and breaches of consumer law.
The business also alleged it lost $25,281 in weekly revenue following the couple’s negative posts.
Junk targeted three videos uploaded by Ms Maultby to social media, plus reviews posted to Google, TrustPilot, and another consumer site—all since deleted.
One of the disputed claims accused the company of scamming its customers and charging more than quoted.
The business also denied an allegation that its owner, Richard Furnari, made harassing phone calls to the couple.
Mr Furnari previously confirmed the mattresses had been collected and said the company would seek payment via VCAT.
However, the legal battle spiralled beyond what the couple ever expected.
‘We’re not the ones suing so we didn’t instigate any lawsuit,’ Ms Maultby said.
The family has now spent close to $200,000 on legal fees and borrowed heavily from elderly relatives.
‘The last year has drained our resources and nearly broken our spirits,’ Ms Maultby wrote in her GoFundMe appeal.
‘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.’
They are currently the subject of three legal proceedings—one in the Supreme Court of Victoria, another in the District Court of Queensland, and a third in VCAT.
While the Queensland case has been dismissed for now, Ms Maultby said it could be resumed in Victoria.
The Supreme Court case is on hold but remains active.
‘This isn’t just about us, it’s about anyone who has ever tried to speak up before,’ she added.
Sometimes, questioning a major institution or speaking up about a mistake can set off a chain of events no one expects.
Legal battles, emotional strain, and financial uncertainty can all follow—especially when the system seems stacked against you.
Read more: Bank's $700,000 mortgage blunder sparks ‘torturous’ legal battle–find out why
How much should it cost to speak your mind?
