Married couple and their neighbour ‘waste £15,000 on cowboy builders who ”butchered” their homes
Residents in a Scottish town have been forced to shell out thousands of pounds on unfinished work on their homes which they fear will never be completed.
Neighbours Susan and Alan Matthewman and Tommy Wilson on Netherton Road in Wishaw claim they have spent £15,000 between them due to the unfinished work, which began on June 24, carried out by what they believed was a legitimate firm.
A roofing company whose registered office address was in Wishaw were hired to complete the work on the properties, but details from Companies House reveal the company was dissolved in August 2021.
Susan Matthewman (pictured with her husband Alan) said the work was started but not completed and that when she and others try to contact the company, there is no answer
Three neighbours on Netherton Road in Wishaw claim they have spent £15,000 between them due to the unfinished work
The work on the three properties began on June 24 but residents say they have not heard from the firm since
Mrs Matthewman, said the work was started but not completed and that when she and others try to contact the company, there is no answer.
‘The whole place is a mess and I don’t want other people having to go through this situation,’ she said.
‘We should never have given them a deposit which was £1,000. I gave them a second payment on July 7 and they haven’t been back since except two weeks later to ask for their ladders back.
‘Anytime you call the number there is no answer.’
Neighbour Tommy Wilson, who also paid to have work done, described it as ‘the worst experience of [his] life.’
‘The amount of stress has been unbelievable,’ he said. ‘I haven’t seen or heard from any of the workers over the last few months.
‘I have been left with scaffolding on the outside of my house and the front and back door is just a complete mess. You don’t believe that people would be able to do something like this.
A local builder claims that the work to repair the damage done to the houses will cost more than the original work should have done
Residents have been left with scaffolding and work tools strewn outside their homes
Trading Standards and the police are now investigating the claims and are meeting with residents this week
The company was hired to complete the work on the properties, but details from Companies House reveal it was dissolved in August 2021
Residents paid deposits for the work to be completed but fear that it will never be done and that they have lost their money
‘I sold my car because I got a works van so I wanted to put some money into my house.
‘I had my back garden done at a cost of £9,000 and got new windows costing £5,000 so I wanted the outside of my house done and they’ve butchered it.’
According to a local builder, fixing the issues left behind will now cost Tommy more than the original work.
Trading Standards and the police are now investigating the claims and are meeting with residents this week.
A spokesperson for Trading Standards said: ‘If you are planning to have work done to your home, ask for recommendations from family or friends.
‘If this isn’t possible, shop around for a number of quotes and ask for examples of similar work the company has done recently.
‘Make sure you get contact details for their customers and check if they were happy with the work done; don’t rely on written recommendations. Be wary if the company only provides a mobile number; always get full contact details and check the business does exist at the address.
‘You should not feel pressurised into agreeing to immediate work. Do not pay cash up front or offer to go and get money and never agree to pay for goods or give money to strangers who arrive at your door.’
