Roofing scammers con homeowners out of thousands of pounds

Citizens Advice has warned of a surge in roofing scams, with one in 10 of all scams recorded over the past year related to roofing, making it the most common type of scam brought to them.

According to the consumer advice charity, in the year to August, they received 9,000 complaints about roofing work, including problems with construction, repairs, and weatherproofing.

Of those complaints, 2,205, or about one in four, were suspected scams, up from 2,098 the year before.

Citizens Advice is urging consumers to carry out thorough checks on traders before agreeing to hire them, as scammers often exploit the fact that roofs are out of sight and reach.

Victims of these scams have reported aggressive and intimidating behaviour, with three quarters of fraudsters using 'doorstep' sales tactics.

One such victim is Crystal, a 68-year-old from the Midlands, who was left thousands of pounds out of pocket after a rogue builder left her roof with dislodged bricks and blocked gutters.

She paid a total of £5,500 for the work, only for the original contractor to send his son instead, who left work in the eaves incomplete.