Rogue roofers are taking advantage of Lancashire residents worries and concerns about leaking roofs over the winter months. An older resident in Leyland was cold called by roofers stating the roof tiles needed some attention. Worried about leaks the householder agreed, giving an initial deposit of £1,500 for materials. The work then began to escalate to an alleged roof being required, luckily no further monies were given.
In the Morecambe area a resident thought some property repair workers had come to finish off a small repair carried out in the summer months. This wasn’t the case, the property repairers stated the repair could not be carried out as part of the roof was rotten, escalating the price of what had already been paid by another £12,000 to enable the work. Luckily a neighbour intervened before all the money was paid.
A Colne resident requiring a small roof repair put his job on an online trader platform. They quickly received a phone call from an interested trader who came round to look at the job, saying he could do it for a discounted rate there and then. The householder paid just under a £1,000, with no repairs carried out to the roof tiles as had been agreed, and other minor repairs done badly.
Reputable roofers can be difficult to get hold of, especially at this time of year. Trading Standards advice is to always to use known local traders, shop around and get 3 quotes from different and independently sourced traders. Always ask for a quote in writing before making any decisions. Never feel pressurised into using cold callers or into making hasty decisions for a supposed reduction in price.
Trading Standards advice is to always say no to cold callers. The Safetrader scheme can help you find a trader in our area, contact 0303 333 1111 or go to www.safetrader.org.uk
