Cowboy builder hit with curfew
A rogue builder who charged a woman £12,000 for shoddy work has been banned from going out at night.
Trading Standards officers said the tough sanction and a huge court bill imposed on builder Clifford Wyatt, sent out a message that rogue builders will not be tolerated.
Wyatt also overpriced the work on a ground floor extension at the house in Cradley by almost twice the amount recommended.
He was given a six-month curfew, keeping him at home between the hours of 7pm and 7am, and ordered to pay £3,464 in costs.
The 54-year-old, of West Road, Halesowen, pleaded guilty to five charges relating to unfair trading at Dudley Magistrates' Court.
The case was brought by Dudley Council's trading standards office. Magistrates heard how Wyatt had carried out the sub-standard work in June last year. He had failed to apply for Government Building Regulations approval for the work.
He also failed to install adequate drainage and a beam with proper support. He said he knew nothing about consumers' cancellation rights. Wyatt also charged £12,000 for the work which should have cost no more than £6,500. He pleaded guilty at the court to five charges under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations.
Councillor Rachel Harris, cabinet member responsible for health, said: "This prosecution sends out a clear message that we will protect consumers from rogue traders.
"This kind of activity causes a huge amount of distress to the victims who have worked hard and saved to pay for improvements to their home and are then badly let down."
The council, in partnership with Age UK, offers a Fix a Home list of locally-approved traders.
