"Cowboy builders have been responsible for some of the most shocking home‑improvement scams in recent years, with elderly homeowners often the most vulnerable targets."
Tony (82) and wife Sue (77), decided to use their life savings to try to improve their forever home by converting the garage into an extra usable space, removing the wall between this and the existing room to provide an open plan kitchen / dining room. This would include a new utility area and shower room and the renovation of their existing conservatory.
They got an approved architect to compete drawings and obtain all relevant permissions.
They appointed a builder via Check-a-Trade, to carry out improvements to their small cul-de-sac bungalow.
Whilst the original quote was £37,000 and over £45,500 was paid directly to the builders, the homeowners have incurred costs of over £65,000 so far.
The builder informed them in October 2022, that this was an 8 week project and that it could be complete by Christmas 2022.
Christmas 2025 has just passed, and it has been over 3 years since the builders agreed to start work, but they have still to complete the agreed works.
There are several reasons as to why this will be the case:
- Fraudulent Trading
- Abusive Phoenixism
- Conspiracy to Defraud
- Threatening Behaviour
An elderly passing neighbour was threated by one of the onsite contractors, to be taken off in a vehicle and buried if they did not leave the area.
To date, neither Check-a-trade, Tony and Sue's bank fraud team, nor the individuals responsible have made any substantial attempt to assist or to rectify the problems caused.
Tony and Sue have been left to live in a sub-standard property and even their neighbours have had damage caused by the builders that has not been rectified.
- The outer wall is just a wooden panel
- The roof in the new kitchen and shower room leak when it rains
- There are missing doors
- The heating in the kitchen and dining room is still missing
- The agreed skylights never arrived
- The new shower room and utility room are unusable due to water issues.
- The new Sunroom / Conservatory is non existent
All these are facilities that the builders were contacted to carry out.
A subsequent survey has been carried out, and it has been confirmed that the cost to complete the works and resolve the issues caused will be in excess of £30,000.
Any good builder in his right mind would have to start over.
The work that would need to be carried out would cover the following areas:
- Front Hallway,
- Kitchen,
- Dining Room,
- Main Bedroom,
- Second Bedroom,
- Back Passageway,
- Shower room and Toilet,
- Utility Room,
- Conservatory,
- Rear Garden,
- Garage Conversion.