Ceredigion: Rogue trader painted tiles orange in roof scam

Peter Billydean Price scammed a vulnerable customer out of of £4,600

A rogue trader who painted a customer's roof tiles orange instead of replacing them has been given a community order.

Peter Billydean Price, 25, of Broadmoor Nurseries in Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire, scammed the resident out of £4,600.

He admitted two fraud offences while trading as Priced 2 Improve Property and Landscaping Services.

Aberystwyth Magistrates' Court heard he was paid to replace all the ridge tiles, which join flat surfaces off a roof, Ceredigion council said.

Instead he and two of his associates just painted them in an attempt to make them look like clay.

The prosecution told the court Price and his colleagues spent less than three-and-a-half hours at the property.

The council said after the case that Trading Standards officers uncovered the extent of the January 2022 swindle by sending drones to view the roof of the building, which the authority said was in "mid-Ceredigion".

It said Price ignored calls from the vulnerable victim, forcing them to seek legal advice.

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The council said a chartered quantity surveyor concluded that Price was "evidently not a professional, competent and reputable roofer as the quality of the work was unacceptable".

It added: "In fact, Price had merely used orange paint as a way to deceive his victim into the perception that new orange clay ridge tiles had been used."

In mitigation the court heard Price had relied on an ex-employee with knowledge of roofing to lead on the job as his work was primarily in ground work and paving.

Price hoped the paint would convince his customer he had done the work paid for

During the case, heard last week, the council said the court heard Price acknowledged the fee was excessive and was remorseful for his actions.

On 20 July, magistrates sentenced Price to a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days, pay the victim £4,081 compensation, as well as £1,000 prosecution costs and a £95 court surcharge.