Bury family tells of 'nightmare' renovation with rogue builder

Sarah Griffith wanted to improve access at the home for her sister-in-law

A family have told how work on their dream home turned into a nightmare after their builder downed tools mid-way through renovating the property.

Sarah Griffiths moved out of her house in Bury in 2021 for the work but has still not returned after it was left unfinished, leaking and mouldy.

She had paid about £170,000 for modifications so her disabled sister-in-law Debbie could move in.

The builder said he had stopped work because the family ran out of money.

Despite repeated invitations to comment, the builder said he did not want to discuss the detail of Ms Griffiths' case.

She disputes his claims and has since started a campaign group to call for greater regulation and licensing rules in the domestic building trade.

She told BBC Radio Manchester the ordeal had been "very upsetting".

The 52-year-old said her family had spent tens of thousands of pounds fixing the issues years later after her case featured in an episode of BBC TV series Rip Off Britain last month.

Sarah Griffiths' family have spent years in rental homes while the property remains unfinished

Work began in 2021 to widen doors for wheelchair access and to add a downstairs bedroom and bathroom to the Bury property when the family took full-time care for Debbie, Ms Griffiths said.

The family wanted to give her independence and a better quality of life, she said.

Mould had grown in the property after the renovation project stoppped

But the builder stopped work abruptly leaving the house "mouldy and broken", Ms Griffiths said.

"The whole point of the build was to make it disabled accessible, the builder knew this, we voiced this and yet Debbie's bedroom door wasn't wide enough for her wheelchair," she continued.

"It was going to be a dream and unfortunately it hasn't happened."

The family paid £80,000 to another contractor in August 2022 to make their house water-tight and accessible, but said they now have no money left to finish the renovation.

The family paid £80,000 to another contractor to make the home water-tight

They have lived in two rental properties since, while paying bills and their mortgage for the Bury property.

But they were not suitable for Debbie, who had to drag herself around on the floor from room to room to get around, Ms Griffiths said.

'We've had so many families contacting us in similar situations yet these builders can still do what they like because the law doesn't hold them to account.

"It makes me feel like I've let the family down, how can someone do this to another family?"

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