Roofing scammers con homeowners out of thousands of pounds

Key points

• Roofing scams made up one in 10 scams recorded by Citizens Advice in the past year.
• In the year to August, the Citizens Advice Consumer Service received 9,000 roofing complaints, with 2,205 suspected scams.
• Citizens Advice urges consumers to check references, get written agreements, and be wary of unsolicited callers.

Roofing scams are the most common type of scam reported to Citizens Advice, accounting for one in 10 of all scams recorded over the past year. The consumer charity said the scams can leave homeowners thousands of pounds out of pocket.

In the year to August, the Citizens Advice Consumer Service received 9,000 complaints about roofing work, covering construction, repairs and weatherproofing. Of those, 2,205, or about one in four, were suspected scams, up from 2,098 the previous year.

Victims describe pressure and fear

Crystal, 68, from the Midlands, said she felt pressured into having her roof redone and paid £5,500. The original contractor sent his son instead, who left work in the eaves incomplete. After heavy rain, she said, water came down the wall like a waterfall, and lead was removed from her neighbour's chimney, causing bricks to fall into his attic.

Charlotte, 65, who lives alone in north eastern England, found tradesmen online who offered to fix her leaking gutter for £250. They then said more work was needed for £2,500. An hour later they said it was sorted but had found another problem. Feeling afraid because it was dark and she was alone, she paid £3,500. The next day she saw no sign of any work.

Victims can lose life savings in a matter of hours and be left with damaged homes, financial hardship and a profound sense of vulnerability long after the criminals have gone.

— Lord Bichard

Advice and official response

Dame Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice, urged consumers to carry out thorough checks before hiring traders. She said scammers exploit the fact that roofs are out of sight and reach, knowing most people can't easily inspect the work themselves. Citizens Advice also noted that three quarters of fraudsters used doorstep sales tactics and that victims reported aggressive and intimidating behaviour.

Citizens Advice advised people to ask for references and written agreements, be wary of unsolicited callers, gather photos and paperwork if problems arise, and know their rights. Traders must provide written information about the right to cancel, and under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, if work is not done with reasonable care and skill, consumers can ask for a fix or a refund.

Lord Bichard, chair of National Trading Standards, said rogue traders were criminals deliberately preying on people in their own homes. He called roofing fraud particularly cruel and said Trading Standards would pursue fraudsters through legal routes.