Swindon rogue roofer scammed pensioner with unnecessary repairs

Mervyn Rhys Richards charged his victim £27,500 for unnecessary roof repairs

A roofer has been ordered to pay almost £40,000 after carrying out unnecessary work on an elderly resident's home.

Mervyn Rhys Richards, 43, of Swindon, convinced the homeowner to let him carry out work costing £27,500.

But they contacted police as they felt they had fallen victim to a scam.

Richards pleaded guilty at Taunton Magistrates Court on Monday. He was ordered to pay a £6,500 fine, £190 victim surcharge, £4,250 prosecution costs and £27,500 compensation.

He was prosecuted by the Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service (HoTSW TS) for one offence under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

Richards responded to an advert asking for a roof repair in March 2022 and told the homeowner that the work could only be "guaranteed" if the roof was replaced, at a cost of £27,500.

The homeowner, from Somerset, used her life savings to pay for the work but contacted police after becoming suspicious and police then notified trading standards.

An independent surveyor examined the roof and concluded that the work was not reasonably necessary, was overcharged and was not in accordance with the invoice or British standards.

The judge gave Richards credit for his guilty plea, for showing remorse and for his commitment to recompensing the victim. He was ordered to pay a total of £38,400.

Alex Fry, Operations Manager for HoTSW TS, said: "This case hopefully sends a clear message to rogue traders that where necessary, we will put you before the courts.

"I would like to thank the victim in this case for coming forward and reporting the incident and supporting the investigation."