Rogue trader charged Northamptonshire pensioner £1,800 for half-an-hour's work cleaning a gutter

Rogue traders scammed £14,000 out of Northamptonshire residents during the first two months of 2022, according to police.

Most cons involved bogus offers of driveway and gutter cleaning from cold callers who forcefully persuaded homeowners to have often needless work carried out.

In one such case, an elderly resident was charged £1,800 for 30-minutes work cleaning guttering — and then told they needed to pay an extra £1,900.

The ruse was uncovered when the victim returned to their bank for a second time. Alert staff identified the scam, refused to give them the money and and called police.

Another resident handed over £1,300 after being told a chimney and roof were unsafe.

Her son alerted police when the rogue traders returned, claiming further work was required and asking for £1,500.

PC Neil MacKenzie of Northamptonshire Police Economic Crime Unit said: “Cold callers target the most vulnerable members of our communities, sometimes leaflet dropping advertising their services, in advance of knocking on doors.

“They tend to be quite assertive, albeit very pleasant to start with and will happy to walk homeowners around the exterior of their properties pointing out elements of work which need attention.

“However, once they have convinced the homeowner that work needs to be carried out, they will always escalate the original quote, manufacture extra work or offer to take them to a bank or cash machine to withdraw money.

“If you or someone you know finds themselves in such a situation and have any doubts, please call the police.

“Please be vigilant in your neighbourhood for potential rogue traders operating and encourage elderly or vulnerable relatives to call you should any tradesman insist work needs to be carried out or are demanding money.”

Rogue traders will often use common tactics such as props to convince occupants that there is a problem with their properties which need urgent attention. This can include buckets containing broken roof tiles, debris/rubble, nests or dead birds to suggest that they have come from their roof space.

■ If you have been a victim of a rogue trader, please report it to Northamptonshire Police on 101 or online at northants.police.uk. Always dial 999 in an emergency.

PC McKenzie added: "Always remember to never disclose your PIN or let anyone persuade you to hand over your bank card, financial information or withdraw cash.

"Take the time to think about any offer, even if it’s genuine. Don’t be embarrassed to say ‘no’ or ask them to leave while you get different quotes.

"And always check the credentials of anyone who calls without an appointment — a genuine person won’t mind. You can phone the company they represent or check online if you're not sure but never used contact details they give you."