Rogue trader ordered to repay victim after unsafe work left roof at risk of collapse

In addition Howarth was ordered to pay £10,000 compensation to the homeowner, which is the full amount lost, as well as being disqualified from being a company director for 6 years.

A Criminal Behaviour Order was also granted lasting 5 years. This is designed to protect residents from Howarth’s business practices, such as carrying out property maintenance without written permission, and targeting anyone aged over 65 or who is believed to be vulnerable. His company, Marleyroofingandbuilding Ltd, was fined £250.

An investigation by Hertfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards service found that an 83-year-old Hemel Hempstead resident contacted Marleyroofingandbuilding Ltd in September 2024 after receiving a company flyer. She agreed to pay £6,000 for repairs to her garage roof.

Without providing a written contract, work began within days. Once the work was underway, Howarth claimed additional repairs were required and increased the price to £10,000. The homeowner paid the money by cheque, which was deposited into Howarth's personal bank account.

Despite the increase in cost, the flat roof, which the homeowner used as a garden terrace, was left in a dangerous condition. An independent roofing surveyor instructed by Trading Standards found the work had been carried out to a very poor standard, that rotten structural beams had not been replaced, and that the roof remained unsafe and at risk of collapse. The surveyor concluded that the work provided no value and that the £10,000 charged represented a significant overcharge.

The investigation found payments totalling £8,000 were withdrawn in cash by Howarth within days of receiving payment and that the business had been registered using a false address on Companies House.

When interviewed, Howarth, acknowledged that the work was of a poor standard and said he would refund the victim, however, no refund was ever made.

In passing the sentence, HHJ R Johnson said that the offending involved the "direct targeting of a vulnerable victim."

The homeowner used the roof as a balcony and enjoyed caring for a collection of plants. In her Victim Impact Statement heard by the Court she said:

"I had hoped that the repairs would provide me a space to enjoy outside but instead I’ve paid out a large amount of money, and the space is still not safe to be used. I would like just to be able to walk out and enjoy it again, but I can’t."

Councillor Ajanta Hilton, Executive Member for Public Health and Community Safety at Hertfordshire County Council, said:

"This case demonstrates the devastating impact rogue traders can have on residents, particularly older and potentially vulnerable people. The homeowner paid a substantial amount of money and was left with roofing work that was not only poor quality but potentially dangerous.

“Hertfordshire Trading Standards will continue to investigate and prosecute those who exploit consumers for financial gain. I would encourage residents to take precautions when choosing traders and to report any concerns so that action can be taken to protect others."

Advice to Avoid Rogue Traders and Doorstep Criminals

Rogue traders often target homeowners by offering repairs, maintenance or building work and exploit their position in or around your home to commit fraud or pressure you into paying for unnecessary, poor-quality or overpriced work. They can contact you in many ways, such as:

• a cold call/’working in the area’,
• a leaflet through the door
• in response to a post on a trader matching website.

Alarm bells should ring when a small job turns into a bigger one or if there are unexpected price increases. Be equally suspicious if an expensive quote is quickly reduced, on the condition the work is carried out straightaway, or if you are asked for a large deposit for ‘scaffolding’, ‘materials’ or the like.  Beware if the trader claims the job is urgent and you feel pressured to agree.

Another warning sign is a lack of paperwork before work starts. Look for full information about the trader: their legal entity, address, contact details, company status, full description of works and materials to be used, full cost including whether VAT is included, how long the job will take, and proper cancellation rights given at the right time.

Don’t feel obliged to contract with a trader, even though it may seem to make sense whilst they are on your property.  The law protects you in this situation by giving you a 14-day cancellation period for work that is agreed at your home. Only you can agree for the work to commence within the cancellation period if you want it to.

Our advice is to make use of the cancellation period to reflect and consider. Take the time to:

• speak to someone you trust about what has happened,

• seek a second opinion from a trustworthy, local trader via www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/goodtrader, and

• seek advice about your consumer rights from the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.

If you have any concerns, you can report them to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133. Report frauds to the Police by contacting Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040. Call 999 if the trader is aggressive or starts work without your agreement. These are ‘crimes in action’, do not feel that it is a waste of anyone’s time.