The builder who calls at your door says they are doing some work in the area and has spotted a loose tile on your roof. They offer to fix it for a good price that you agree to. But when they go up on their ladder to inspect the problem, they see another problem.
Rain has been splashing out of the gutters and the wood around them is getting damaged. The only solution, the builder says, is to have rigid PVC trays installed to divert the water. More rain is forecast and you are worried about what damage could be done so you pay the builder via bank transfer to get the job done there and then.
They are gone within an hour, having apparently completed the work. But nothing was done because there was no problem with your guttering. Instead you were one of a growing number of people who have been targeted by criminals posing as roofers, only to make off with payment after doing unnecessary or no work.
The charity Citizens Advice says suspected roofing frauds were the top scam it heard from consumers about in the last year. It received more than 2,200 complaints of suspected roofing scams in the year to August in England and Wales, about 10% more than the previous year. You can’t fully see what’s going on.” Purcell says the fraudsters use really persuasive tactics to offer you confidence and reassurance that they know what they’re talking about.
In one case dealt with by Citizens Advice, a 65-year-old woman posted on an online platform that she needed someone to fix a dripping sound in her gutters. A builder phoned her to say that it would cost £250 but when he and another man came and examined her roof they said they had discovered more problems and the price quickly grew. At one point they showed her a bucket of cement and said it was crumbling from under the tiles.
The woman said the man and his accomplice said the work needed to be done immediately and once they claimed to have finished they wanted the payment straightaway. No reputable builder will do that, says Purcell. To check the roofer’s authenticity, ask for references and for all proposed work to be confirmed in writing.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
