Community help family ripped off by dodgy builder

Tom Walsh and Elisa Sonaglioni lost their life savings when their builder disappeared

A community in a Cotswold village has banded together to fix a young family’s home after shoddy workmanship left it at risk of collapse.

Elisa Sonaglioni and her partner Tom Walsh poured their life savings into renovating their home in Upper Rissington, Gloucestershire, only for their builder to disappear mid-way through the project.

The couple, who have a two-year-old son, were left facing huge costs to rectify the damage and complete the build.

But a plea from Ms Sonaglioni on Facebook to track down the missing tradesman resulted in an outpouring of support from their neighbours.

The family described themselves as “floored” by the kindness they had received.

Speaking to BBC West, Ms Sonaglioni said: “I put an appeal out to try and find the builder and as a result of that post we have had so much help.

“The community has been absolutely amazing in just banding together to help us.”

A fundraising campaign reached £3,000, while construction firm Pentland and Chandler have now stepped in to complete the project and are providing their labour free of charge.

Owner Ben Pentland said he and his business partner James Chandler had been “appalled” by the state of the building.

“The other builder that was here before made a right mess,” he said.

Construction firm Pentland and Chandler is providing labour free of charge

The back wall of the house had been removed and steel supports inserted that were bowing in the middle.

For five months the family were forced to live apart.

Ms Sonaglioni and their son stayed with relatives while Mr Walsh remained in the one liveable room of the house to try to begin the process of rectifying the damage.

Mr Pentland and Mr Chandler had initially intended just to make the building safe by replacing the steel supports.

“Then we just fell in love with the couple so we decided we just really wanted to get them home,” Mr Pentland said.

“We were appalled by how it was left and we just wanted to go ahead and make sure they were home for Christmas.”

The house is now in a condition where it is safe for the family to return, with the floor and heating due to be installed next week.

“It’s finally taking shape,” Mr Pentland said.