Checkatrade News - February 2011
Couple lost life savings to "builder from hell"
A couple has lost their life savings - roughly £20,000 - to the "youngest builder from hell," according to The Daily Record.
The couple, Natalie and Robert Rae from Lanarkshire, Scotland, have claimed that 24-year-old Martin Hagan...
Conman defrauds two elderly ladies
A 21-year-old man has been found guilty of conning two elderly ladies out of thousands of pounds in April 2009, the The Lennox Herald has reported.
Scottish woman conned by cowboy builders
A Scottish woman was left £700 out of pocket after being conned by rogue builders.
76-year-old Sarah Kearns wanted steps and a wall repaired in her garden, so paid out £500 when three builders came to her...
Cowboy builder jailed for criminal actions
A cowboy builder has been jailed for 17 months, after admitting to fleecing an elderly pensioner out of £5,000.
The accused, Felix Rooney, carried out less-than-satisfactory work to the woman's driveway, but demanded payment...
Pensioner pays for fake roof work
Police are looking for a man who conned a pensioner out of £90 for building work that was never carried out, reports suttonguardian.co.uk.
The 82 year old woman from Carshalton, described as frail, was walking along the road when a...
Woman warns others against cowboy workers
A woman who was targeted by 'cowboy' workers has spoken out about her ordeal, in a bid to warn others against the dodgy workmen.
62-year-old Barbara McClure spoke to the Peterlee Mail about her experience, which saw her and her husband,...
FMB calls on government to help trades go Green
According to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), the government should drop VAT and stamp duty levels, in order for them to keep their promises.
In order for builders, electricians, plumbers and other trades to prosper, the FMB said that...
Cowboy builders left woman with £42k bill
A woman has told how cowboy builders destroyed her home, leaving her with a £42,000 bill and forcing her to sleep on the sofa for almost a year.
Dr Ruth Watson's life was turned upside when she experienced 12 months of construction...
Pensioner disappointed after compensation is refused
A pensioner who lost his life savings to a conman builder has spoken of his disappointment, after a court refused his claim for compensation.
Judge Gareth Hawkesworth declined to award David Allard compensation, even after bogus builders...
Police hunt conmen who swindled woman out of thousands
Police in Dunfermline are carrying out investigations after a woman fell victim to callous conmen who swindled her out of thousands of pounds.
Detective Sergeant Paul Dick who is carrying out the investigation told the Dunfermline Press that...
Gardening to drive DIY sector growth
Gardeners hoping to improve their property's gardens are to boost sales for DIY and gardening retailers over the next four years, new research has shown.
According to a report by Verdict Research, the DIY and gardening sector is...
Cowboy builders jailed after conning residents
Bogus builders who fleeced a number of elderly and vulnerable people across the North have been condemned by police.
Newcastle Crown Court heard that the gang of four cold-called victims and posed as recommended builders, before taking payment...
World-class training centre opens
A state of the art training academy has been officially opened in Peterlee, County Durham.
East Durham College's new technical academy was visited by shadow business secretary John Denham; who declared the academy officially open after...
Trusted tradesmen to be featured on 'DIY SOS'
Trusted tradesmen from local communities across the nation are to be featured on BBC 1's television show, 'DIY SOS', according to a press release on UKPRWire.com.
The show - hosted by TV personality, Nick Knowles - helps the British public by...
Charlotte Church escapes carbon monoxide poisoning
Charlotte Church and her two children almost died after a faulty boiler leaked gas into her new home.
After suffering from headaches for a few weeks, she didn't realise she was suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning until her grandfather...
'Super Veg' seeds to hit the shelves at DIY store
For those that grow their own veg, the size of their produce is very important.
At a time when the cost of food and veg is soaring, one DIY chain is selling varieties of vegetables which have been specially cultivated to provide crops...
Self-builds should be encouraged
More should be done to encourage people to try self-build projects, one expert claims.
According to Gordon Miller, sustainability and communications director at Sustain Worldwide, those considering starting their own building projects are...
Residents warned after bogus callers pose as repair men
Worcestershire housing association is warning residents to be aware of bogus tradesmen, pretending to be working on their behalf.
In recent weeks two residents of Rooftop Housing Group have been contacted by people posing...
Elderly couple conned by bogus tradesman
An elderly couple have been left fuming after a bogus tradesman conned them out of hundreds of pounds worth of savings.
The victims both 73, were shown a handful of rotting wood by the doorstep tradesman who claimed it was from the outside of...
Female plumbing company proves popular
A female-only plumbing company which opened in Northamptonshire, has told how they have seen a 100 per cent rise in their clientèle.
Pink Lady Plumbing has found that their female customers feel more comfortable having a woman working...
Elderly victims conned on their doorstep
Two elderly residents in Walsall have been conned out of hundreds of pounds in a doorstep scam.
In both cases, the victims were told that plants in their garden were damaging their neighbours' property and that they needed to be removed or...
SME's to benefit from retrofit project
Small and medium sized enterprises (SME's) in London are to benefit from a £10 million project which encourages innovation and best practise in the city's green retrofit market.
FLASH is a free programme which initially will support...
Conman pretends to be victims grandson for life savings
A ruthless conman convinced a dementia sufferer that he was his grandson, in an attempt to get his life savings.
Scott Fothergill said if the man withdrew thousands of pounds from his bank account, he would help him to carry out...
Conman's mum pays back victim
The mother of a rogue trader felt so sorry for his latest victim that she visited the man's home and paid back the cash that was taken from him.
Heartless conman, Errol Flynn, tried to fleece Leslie Dove out of £7,000 as part of a...
Extensions can add £10,000 to house value
Homeowners struggling to raise the price of their property would do well to call in the builders, because building an extension is the easiest way to add value to the house whilst providing room for the family to grow.
That's according to The...
