Cambridge cottage owner had to write off £10k after tradesman dispute

Nigel Dawson has lived in Unicorn Cottage for 25 years

If you stood outside Nigel Dawson's idyllic 16th-century cottage on the outskirts of Cambridge, you would not think the chocolate box property had been at the centre of a £10,000 tradesman dispute. Yet Nigel is one of a number of customers who have spoken to the BBC about their experience with a thatcher who took up-front payments but, they said, left poor or incomplete work. They want to know why the systems put in place to protect consumers have not worked for them.

Nigel has lived in Unicorn Cottage in the small village of Whittlesford for 25 years.

A frieze of a lion and a unicorn, two creatures that are commonly associated with King James I, was discovered in the oldest part of the property, which has helped both date the building and explain its name.

For many years, part of Nigel's roof was covered in tarpaulin because he could not afford to get it re-thatched.

When he received quotes for the work in 2019, most estimated it would cost £30,000. When Nigel contacted thatcher Kevin Pace, he quoted £20,000.

Nigel made two bank transfers of £5,000, one as a down payment for materials and the second after some thatch had been laid.

The BBC has confirmed that the bank account the money was transferred to belongs to Mr Pace.

After the second payment, Nigel said Kevin Pace "disappeared, never to be seen again".

Unicorn Cottage is a Grade II-listed property believed to date back to the reign of King James I

Nigel contacted the police, but was told what had happened was "not a criminal offence".

Frustrated, he contacted Trading Standards and Action Fraud via their websites, but they were unable to help him get a refund.

Nigel later took the issue to the small claims court, where documents show he was awarded £10,410 on 1 July 2020.

At the time, he thought "excellent, I've had a result". But he has since discovered it will not resolve the problem quickly.

"[Mr Pace] is paying me £50 a month. It will take him 15 years to pay me back; I doubt I will ever get the full amount."

In a statement, Kevin Pace told the BBC: "The delays and interruptions in my projects were not intentional, but a consequence of my health struggles, which impacted my ability to work consistently."

Kevin Pace beginning work on Unicorn Cottage in July 2019

Nigel has since paid for the roof to be re-thatched by another company. He added that for his own mental health, he "had to write off that £10,000".

He has spent the past four years trying to find others who have also been affected by the same tradesman.

"I spoke to one couple and they were in tears, having lost £5,000."

He fears there could be more customers left out of pocket.

'You get trapped'

"I doubt he'll stop and I know he's still operating because [other] thatchers contact me and let me know he continues to work. What's frightening is he's continuing to do this."

Wendi and Colin Cramphorn, from Milton Keynes, are in their 70s.

They recently left the thatched home they had lived in for 37 years, because they could no longer keep up with the maintenance.

The couple had their house re-thatched several times over that period. In June 2020 they received a flyer through their door advertising Mr Pace's services. The couple checked his website to look at his previous work, and then agreed the scope of the job in writing. They paid £2,000 in cash, and £3,000 via bank transfer.

Wendi and Colin Cramphorn paid £5,000 to Mr Pace

The BBC has seen written receipts for these transactions, but the account they paid the money into no longer exists.

The Cramphorns and Mr Pace's son emailed each other extensively between June and September 2020, with the couple concerned that no work had begun. In late September, the Cramphorns requested the deposit money back so they could find a new thatcher.

Yet they received no reply, and no refund.

"You feel a bit of a fool falling for it," said Colin. "We've been in business all our working life, and then you get trapped up in a stupid situation like this."

After contacting Crimestoppers and Action Fraud without success, the couple received a £3,000 refund from their bank, but the remaining cash payment could not be returned.

More than three years later, Wendi is still angry.

"I don't know how he sleeps at night. He should try and make some compensation to all these people, but I don't think he's going to."

'Damp and mouldy'

A third customer, Pam Roberts who lived in Boxworth, Cambridgeshire, lost £5,000 in January 2023 after she contracted Mr Pace to do thatching repairs on her roof.

When she was unable to get help from the Citizen's Advice Bureau and Action Fraud, she then complained to the Financial Ombudsman, who instructed her bank to reimburse her the money.

Poppy and Nick Webber live near Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, and in 2021 paid Mr Pace £4,000 for material to re-ridge their thatched roof.

They said it took nine months to complete the work, during which time their under-thatching became damp and mouldy and they had a rat infestation.

The couple refused to pay Mr Pace £4,000, which he said they owed him in labour costs, after a master thatcher came to view the work and said it was substandard.

A fifth customer from Cambridge claims they lost £5,000 to Mr Pace, but did not want to be identified.

'I offer my sincere apologies'

The National Society of Master Thatchers, which represents around a third of thatchers in Britain, vets its members by assessing four recent projects.

It recommends people search for a thatcher via its website, obtain three quotes for the work to compare, and speak to previous customers.

It does have a formal complaints procedure, but it cannot take any action against those who are not members.

In a statement obtained via a family member, Mr Pace said: "I am not a rogue trader, and it was never my intention to leave any work incomplete or compromise the quality of my craftsmanship.

"Unfortunately my life has been severely affected by unforeseen health challenges, particularly in the aftermath of COVID-19.

"I have been a thatcher for 40 odd years. If only five customers don't like my work out of 40 years, then I would say that's quite an accomplishment.

"Regarding the outstanding county court judgments, I acknowledge their existence and I am actively working towards resolving these matters. The financial strain resulting from my health issues has been significant, and I am committed to meeting my obligations as soon as possible.

"To those customers who have suffered emotional and financial distress, I offer my sincere apologies."