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Original poster

I think I have been scammed

29 replies

SarahFlower · 29/10/2024 16:37

Hi, just looking for some advice.

Before we moved into our house a survey picked up that there were some tiles missing on our roof. Once we moved in we got a quote which was £3000 for having the work done, as we couldn't afford it at the time we didn't get the work completed.

On Friday last week we received a leaflet through the front door for a company which specialises in gutter cleaning and roof repairs. I contacted them on Friday and they agreed to come over on their way to a job on Saturday morning at 8am. At 7:35 am they arrived, in a car not the company van because it was "just small jobs they were doing today". I was given a quote of £65 for the gutters and £85 to replace the five missing tiles on the roof, the quote was given from the ground. We agreed to have this done and they said they could do it there and then. Once up on the roof we got a knock at the door to say that there was a few more tiles missing than they had initially seen from the ground, this for cost an extra £65, which we agreed. At this point I had no reason to believe that there was anything dodgy, about an hour later when they knocked on the door to say the work was done I stupidly didn't go out to check. I did a bank transfer for the total amount and asked for receipts. I was told if I text my email address, he would get "one of the girls in the office" to send me a receipt which I did. A few hours later in Marks & Spencer's I saw one of the men swearing at his son and being generally quite disruptive. My father-in-law came over that afternoon and had a look at the work pointing out that there were three broken tiles on the roof that were still broken. So I text pictures to the company asking if they could come back as there was a few missed. It's now Tuesday and I have not received any reply or receipt all of my messages are still showing as delivered/unread.

I did some investigating of the company and despite there being two of them, the company is registered it just having one employee. They have no trust pilot account no Google reviews and no Facebook advertising/account but do have an official looking website. When I look on Google Maps where the company is registered, it's a residential address with a company van outside advertising the company.

Do I continue to message them or just count my losses?

OP posts:
viennawaitsforyouu · 29/10/2024 16:39

SarahFlower · 29/10/2024 16:37

Hi, just looking for some advice.

Before we moved into our house a survey picked up that there were some tiles missing on our roof. Once we moved in we got a quote which was £3000 for having the work done, as we couldn't afford it at the time we didn't get the work completed.

On Friday last week we received a leaflet through the front door for a company which specialises in gutter cleaning and roof repairs. I contacted them on Friday and they agreed to come over on their way to a job on Saturday morning at 8am. At 7:35 am they arrived, in a car not the company van because it was "just small jobs they were doing today". I was given a quote of £65 for the gutters and £85 to replace the five missing tiles on the roof, the quote was given from the ground. We agreed to have this done and they said they could do it there and then. Once up on the roof we got a knock at the door to say that there was a few more tiles missing than they had initially seen from the ground, this for cost an extra £65, which we agreed. At this point I had no reason to believe that there was anything dodgy, about an hour later when they knocked on the door to say the work was done I stupidly didn't go out to check. I did a bank transfer for the total amount and asked for receipts. I was told if I text my email address, he would get "one of the girls in the office" to send me a receipt which I did. A few hours later in Marks & Spencer's I saw one of the men swearing at his son and being generally quite disruptive. My father-in-law came over that afternoon and had a look at the work pointing out that there were three broken tiles on the roof that were still broken. So I text pictures to the company asking if they could come back as there was a few missed. It's now Tuesday and I have not received any reply or receipt all of my messages are still showing as delivered/unread.

I did some investigating of the company and despite there being two of them, the company is registered it just having one employee. They have no trust pilot account no Google reviews and no Facebook advertising/account but do have an official looking website. When I look on Google Maps where the company is registered, it's a residential address with a company van outside advertising the company.

Do I continue to message them or just count my losses?

If you got it on a ring door bell or have any proof of this just report it to the police

Cavello · 29/10/2024 16:41

Did you ask them to replace the broken tiles as well as the missing tiles, or just the missing tiles?

Original poster
SarahFlower · 29/10/2024 16:42

I do have a ring door bell, the footage is still on my app. I was hoping to avoid going down this route

OP posts:
BeMintBee · 29/10/2024 16:43

I wouldn’t want them back or anywhere near my roof to be honest. For that sort of money I’d probably just kick myself for not doing some research on them first or clocking the fact that quoting from casting an eye from the ground was less than ideal.

TheFlis · 29/10/2024 16:43

I’m afraid it’s a very common scam. No genuine trade would give you a quote without seeing the area that actually needed to be repaired.

ItsaPeppaPink · 29/10/2024 16:43

So the original quote to fix it was 3k and a man who knocked on the door said he could do it all for just 150....have I misunderstood or missed something?

Original poster
SarahFlower · 29/10/2024 16:44

Cavello · 29/10/2024 16:41

Did you ask them to replace the broken tiles as well as the missing tiles, or just the missing tiles?

When they knocked on the door they told us they would replace a couple of the broken ones too (sorry I didn't make that clear) there were three tiles left over which they left with us and I have in my shed. So these could of been replaced easily by them

OP posts:
TheBestUsernamesAreGone · 29/10/2024 16:45

Are there ever any roofers who quote for a job, start it and DON'T come down after an hour or so and tell you it's worse than they initially thought and it will cost you ££ more knowing you will probably agree because they are there now and it's easier than getting another quote?
I hate having to get work done on the house.

Original poster
SarahFlower · 29/10/2024 16:47

TheBestUsernamesAreGone · 29/10/2024 16:45

Are there ever any roofers who quote for a job, start it and DON'T come down after an hour or so and tell you it's worse than they initially thought and it will cost you ££ more knowing you will probably agree because they are there now and it's easier than getting another quote?
I hate having to get work done on the house.

No it was a few minutes after they had got on the roof that they knocked. It was an hour for all of the work to be completed

OP posts:
allmycats · 29/10/2024 16:47

I think that you got the job you paid for.

Original poster
SarahFlower · 29/10/2024 16:49

ItsaPeppaPink · 29/10/2024 16:43

So the original quote to fix it was 3k and a man who knocked on the door said he could do it all for just 150....have I misunderstood or missed something?

Do you not think that £3k is abit much to replace a couple of missing/broken tiles?

OP posts:
verycloakanddaggers · 29/10/2024 16:50

If you don't want to use your door footage then you'll just have to let it go I think. Lesson learned.

MugPlate · 29/10/2024 16:50

I think the quote was high because they didn’t want the job, and the work was cheap because they didn’t do the job.

dairydebris · 29/10/2024 16:52

3k was too much for this work yes.
However, decent roofers would never scout for jobs like his they're waaaaay too busy.

It's a scam but at least not huge amounts. I'd dismiss and note to self for future reference.

It's a bloody minefield out there.

Original poster
SarahFlower · 29/10/2024 16:55

dairydebris · 29/10/2024 16:52

3k was too much for this work yes.
However, decent roofers would never scout for jobs like his they're waaaaay too busy.

It's a scam but at least not huge amounts. I'd dismiss and note to self for future reference.

It's a bloody minefield out there.

Yes lesson learned.

When we presented our survey to the solicitor before we moved we were told that the work "shouldn't cost more than a couple of hundred". I know he is no expert in roofing though.

I know now to not trust legitimate looking leaflets which come through the post anymore.

OP posts:
Tupster · 29/10/2024 16:57

Cavello · 29/10/2024 16:41

Did you ask them to replace the broken tiles as well as the missing tiles, or just the missing tiles?

This. Did they do the gutter cleaning and replace the missing tiles?
Paying £3k for this job definitely would have been a scam! If these guys have done 5 tiles and cleaned your gutters for £150, then the broken tiles sound like a miscommunication rather than a scam.

Washinglinewench29 · 29/10/2024 16:59

Had a similar thing happen and now every time I see them advertising on FB I report it as a scam chalk it up to experience. Finding tradesmen these days is like russian roulette.

squeaver · 29/10/2024 17:01

Count yourself lucky. An elderly friend of my mother's had a bloke who was "just passing and noticed some broken tiles", went up to the roof and came back with the same story - "much worse than I first thought". After a few hours "work", told her it would be £1000 and even drove her to the bank to make sure he got the money. Needless to say, nothing was needing to be done in the first place and he did nothing, other than sit on her roof for a few hours, smoking and scrolling on his phone (he was seen by the neighbours).

lololulu · 29/10/2024 17:01

@viennawaitsforyouu

We know what you're replying too!!!

Original poster
SarahFlower · 29/10/2024 17:04

squeaver · 29/10/2024 17:01

Count yourself lucky. An elderly friend of my mother's had a bloke who was "just passing and noticed some broken tiles", went up to the roof and came back with the same story - "much worse than I first thought". After a few hours "work", told her it would be £1000 and even drove her to the bank to make sure he got the money. Needless to say, nothing was needing to be done in the first place and he did nothing, other than sit on her roof for a few hours, smoking and scrolling on his phone (he was seen by the neighbours).

Very similar happened to my aunt too. Makes me sick how they pray on older people.

I know we only are out of pocket my £215 but it's still not nice to be scammed!

OP posts:
BobbyBiscuits · 29/10/2024 17:05

It's definitely dodgy. But it could've been a lot worse. Put it down to experience and move on.
The fact the company is registered to one person and he had a mate doesn't necessarily mean anything bad. But the rest has red flags all over it.

Longhotsummers · 29/10/2024 17:08

This is a fairly typical scam but you’ve got off lightly. Never buy on your doorstep.

downwindofyou · 29/10/2024 17:17

The worst bit of this entire thread is that the first comment requoted the entire OP
Why?
Just why?

viennawaitsforyouu · 29/10/2024 17:46

downwindofyou · 29/10/2024 17:17

The worst bit of this entire thread is that the first comment requoted the entire OP
Why?
Just why?

Sorry 😂

interviewpanic · 29/10/2024 17:50

I've had a similar experience with using tradesmen who post leaflets or knock on the door. I now only use tradesmen who are recommended by someone has used them already before. The best tradespeople I've had haven't needed to advertise and they are usually booked up far in advance.

Not very helpful for this situation I know, but having had a similar experience it really taught me the lesson not to use folks who have to leaflet or knock.