£13k for a single day’s work?

ecartboss · 1 Jan 2026

Murdochcat said:
Back to the OP - what you do immediately is leave some constructive on line reviews pointing out this contractors underhand methods

Yes 100%.
In the interest of fairness I would like to hear what he's got to say about it first and I'm hoping to meet with him.
If the situation hasn't improved after that then yes I will go online and share the story with others to act as a warning.

Murdochcat · 1 Jan 2026

ecartboss said:
Yes 100%.
In the interest of fairness I would like to hear what he's got to say about it first and I'm hoping to meet with him.
If the situation hasn't improved after that then yes I will go online and share the story with others to act as a warning.

You may need to do the reviews first.

One of my mates had a very similar situation - contractor not playing ball, not responding.

Highly negative reviews on FB and next door were seen by his misses and got him talking. Once resolved, the reviews were removed by my mate

diy_fun_uk · 1 Jan 2026

Is the contractor known locally?
Are they listed as a local council trusted trader? (if such a scheme exists in your dads locality).
Although these don't always count for much, do they have multiple positive online reviews?
Are they members of any trade associations?

etc etc

Without meaning any disrespect, were you not in a position to handle this for your dad? I appreciate this is sometimes easier said than done e.g. people want their independence and so on.

The fact they've quoted for a lesser job and then hit him with 'this that the other needs done' does kind of indicate he's been done.

Notch7 · 1 Jan 2026

ecartboss said:
Yes 100%.
In the interest of fairness I would like to hear what he's got to say about it first and I'm hoping to meet with him.
If the situation hasn't improved after that then yes I will go online and share the story with others to act as a warning.

If he has been paid up in full, he isn’t coming back.

If it’s a limited company he will be a phoenix operator, if it’s a sole trade take him to court…the claim would be under £10,000

Is it a local company?

I would start searching on local Facebook groups to see if the company name appears.

Harry Bloomfield · 1 Jan 2026

diy_fun_uk said:
The fact they've quoted for a lesser job and then hit him with 'this that the other needs done' does kind of indicate he's been done.

It's the usual scammers MO!

diy_fun_uk said:
Although these don't always count for much, do they have multiple positive online reviews?
Are they members of any trade associations?

There are no checks at all, anyone can advertise their services in those local free mags, no checks made. We used to get one, it went straight in the bin where it belonged. No reputable business, operates with just a mobile number.

blup · 1 Jan 2026

A rip off, first for turning a small job into a large one, second for 13k for effectively changing the roofing felt and battens. It would be different if it was retiled.

chirpychippy · 1 Jan 2026

I think you should contact the bank immediately, words like Scammed and possibly Elder Abuse make the banks take notice.

Obviously CAB as others have said.

I signed up to a Toolstation cash back scheme, I wasnt aware I was taking out a chargeable subscription.

The subscription was weekly at £30 through my business, lapse on my part, I don't often look at my statements. I rang the bank, they said they couldn't stop the subscription as it wasn't traceable or registered and they couldn't refund the £450.00 already taken.

In other words I would have to pay £120 for this subscription a month for the rest of my life, they were adamant they couldn't stop it.

I simply said, make me an appointment please at my local branch, why they asked?
So i can close all my accounts with you, that will stop it.

Subscription blocked £450.00 reimbursed.

What I'm saying is you really have to dig your heals in with banks and fight for your Dad.

As far as the roofer, find out who it is and berate him all over social media.

A question was on a another forum, Do you feel sorry for ripped off customers? I said I didnt. But I do feel sorry for your Dad, being a tradesman myself it really does boil my p*ss when elderly people get ripped off.

Good luck.

Vinty · 2 Jan 2026

Trading standards should be involved.
Builders and roofers should be licenced.
I think in Germany you can't trade as a builder without having a professional qualification, same as an Architect has to have a professional qualification.

Anyone calling themselves building contractors without being qualified would be prosecuted, also any builder who's work isn't up to standard would lose their licence.

johnny2007 · 2 Jan 2026

How come roofers seem to be the scammers of the building trade?
My friend was done by one claiming to be a roofer.
£4k loss and thankfully she called me before paying the other £4k.
Instead of removing existing felt and boards from 2 flat roofs as per quote, he covered everything (including moss) with shed felt.
After that, a proper roofing company helped by doing the job properly and charging a fair price.

Vinty · 2 Jan 2026

blup said:
A rip off, first for turning a small job into a large one, second for 13k for effectively changing the roofing felt and battens. It would be different if it was retiled.

A professional surveyor should look at the work that has been carried out and if in his opinion, a lot of it was unnecessary, then the 'roofers' should be prosecuted for fraud.

MNW67 · 2 Jan 2026

johnny2007 said:
How come roofers seem to be the scammers of the building trade?
My friend was done by one claiming to be a roofer.
£4k loss and thankfully she called me before paying the other £4k.
Instead of removing existing felt and boards from 2 flat roofs as per quote, he covered everything (including moss) with shed felt.
After that, a proper roofing company helped by doing the job properly and charging a fair price.

I think it's because it's difficult to get onto the roof to have a proper look at what they claim needs doing.

blup · 2 Jan 2026

Vinty said:
A professional surveyor should look at the work that has been carried out and if in his opinion, a lot of it was unnecessary, then the 'roofers' should be prosecuted for fraud.

Or refer it to trading standards , some authorities still pursue these cases particularly if the owner is vulnerable elderly and exploited

diy_fun_uk · 2 Jan 2026

I'm maybe exaggerating how easy it is to actually do this, however something that's very frustrating for victims is when the report says something like 'Victims of We Build It are unlikely to see any reimbursement as the company was wound up earlier this year by Mr Shafter.'

Then sometimes, to rub salt into the wound, you read that x weeks later Mr Shafter has registered a new company called We Build-It, ready to find new victims.

The £ they've shafted folk out of should follow them, regardless of how many companies they open, close, open.

pmx_super · 2 Jan 2026

chirpychippy said:
I think you should contact the bank immediately, words like Scammed and possibly Elder Abuse make the banks take notice.

I second this. Look into the Payment Systems Regulator's (PSR) statutory reimbursement framework. Although by the letter of the law he wouldn't be eligible, I made a similar claim for a payment to a trader under scheme's predecessor (the APP code) and my bank reimbursed me declaring it goodwill. They said no at first so you may have to complain. It'll help if he has been with the bank for a long time.

Brigadier · 2 Jan 2026

diy_fun_uk said:
I'm maybe exaggerating how easy it is to actually do this, however something that's very frustrating for victims is when the report says something like 'Victims of We Build It are unlikely to see any reimbursement as the company was wound up earlier this year by Mr Shafter.'

Then sometimes, to rub salt into the wound, you read that x weeks later Mr Shafter has registered a new company called We Build-It, ready to find new victims.

The £ they've shafted folk out of should follow them, regardless of how many companies they open, close, open.

Probably set up like that intentionally, so that budding entrepreneurs don't bugger off overseas and take their nous with them

£13k for a single day’s work?

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