UK
Ireland
Scotland
London
Construction News
08/08/2016
Plumbers Sentenced For 'Ripping Off' Elderly Customers
The director of a plumbing firm and three of its subcontractors have been sentenced for "ripping off" elderly customers with excessive pay rates in Staffordshire.
Duane Linton, 34, company director of both Plumb-Tech Plumbing and Heating Ltd in Birmingham, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation as did subcontractors Otis Wray (44), Peter Hawketts (55), and Patrick Thawe (45).
Mr Linton was jailed for two years and eight months, Thawe 20 months, Hawketts 16 months and Wray for nine months. In addition, Wray was also ordered to pay £2,000 costs and compensation to victims of £1,113.
Stafford Crown Court heard the 14 victims contacted the companies over a two-year period between March 2014 and January 2016 via Yellow Pages, where Mr Linton advertised as an emergency local plumber and stated that he offered OAP discounts.
An investigation by the council's Trading Standards, with the assistance of police, found that once a call had been made, Linton sent out subcontracted plumbers from Birmingham.
The subcontractors were ordered to charge rates of hundreds of pounds per hour to address dripping radiators, leaking toilet ball-cocks, dripping taps and under sink leaks. One incident saw two plumbers charge £672-per-hour to unblock a toilet, with further non-emergency work being undertaken the following day on a soil pipe at the property. The overall cost of 'unblocking' the toilet came to £5,642.
In addition, the court heard claims in advertisements were untrue and basic parts were not carried by the plumbers, who then took a long time to source them and charged premium rates.
Gill Heath, Cabinet Member for Communities at Staffordshire County Council, said: "It's scandalous that this company charged such extortionate rates to elderly and very vulnerable people, who had no choice but to pay. It's absolutely right that the court has handed out these severe penalties.
"It sends out a clear message to rogue traders that they will feel the full force of the law when we catch unscrupulous companies behaving like this.
"It is always best to go with a reputable company, ideally someone who has been recommended by friends or family. Alternatively use a trader who is a member of the government's TrustMark scheme or our own Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Trader Register Scheme."
(LM/CD)
Duane Linton, 34, company director of both Plumb-Tech Plumbing and Heating Ltd in Birmingham, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation as did subcontractors Otis Wray (44), Peter Hawketts (55), and Patrick Thawe (45).
Mr Linton was jailed for two years and eight months, Thawe 20 months, Hawketts 16 months and Wray for nine months. In addition, Wray was also ordered to pay £2,000 costs and compensation to victims of £1,113.
Stafford Crown Court heard the 14 victims contacted the companies over a two-year period between March 2014 and January 2016 via Yellow Pages, where Mr Linton advertised as an emergency local plumber and stated that he offered OAP discounts.
-- Advertisement --
An investigation by the council's Trading Standards, with the assistance of police, found that once a call had been made, Linton sent out subcontracted plumbers from Birmingham.
The subcontractors were ordered to charge rates of hundreds of pounds per hour to address dripping radiators, leaking toilet ball-cocks, dripping taps and under sink leaks. One incident saw two plumbers charge £672-per-hour to unblock a toilet, with further non-emergency work being undertaken the following day on a soil pipe at the property. The overall cost of 'unblocking' the toilet came to £5,642.
In addition, the court heard claims in advertisements were untrue and basic parts were not carried by the plumbers, who then took a long time to source them and charged premium rates.
Gill Heath, Cabinet Member for Communities at Staffordshire County Council, said: "It's scandalous that this company charged such extortionate rates to elderly and very vulnerable people, who had no choice but to pay. It's absolutely right that the court has handed out these severe penalties.
"It sends out a clear message to rogue traders that they will feel the full force of the law when we catch unscrupulous companies behaving like this.
"It is always best to go with a reputable company, ideally someone who has been recommended by friends or family. Alternatively use a trader who is a member of the government's TrustMark scheme or our own Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Trader Register Scheme."
(LM/CD)
Latest Construction News
29/01/2025
Caddick Construction has been awarded a £43 million contract to deliver the first phase of Cole Waterhouse's flagship regeneration scheme in Digbeth, Birmingham.
The project, known as Upper Trinity Street, marks a significant step in the area’s transformation.
Spanning 182,986 square feet, the re
29/01/2025
McLaren Construction has been appointed by O&H Properties to deliver the first phase of a £60 million Foster & Partners-designed development at the corner of New Bond Street and Grafton Street in London’s West End.
The seven-storey, 5,400 square metre prime retail and office scheme will feature ret
29/01/2025
GMI Construction Group has been awarded a contract to develop three high-specification warehouse units totalling over 175,000 square feet at Precedent Drive, Milton Keynes.
The £20 million project, commissioned by DV5 Last Mile Developments (UK) Ltd, a joint venture between Coltham and Delancey Re
29/01/2025
Plans for 106 sustainable new homes in Southville, a neighbourhood in South Bristol, have been approved as the city seeks to increase housing delivery to address growing demand.
Top 10 award-winning housebuilder The Hill Group will create a £60 million development on Raleigh Road, on land that was
29/01/2025
Bouygues UK has reached a major milestone in the fourth phase of the Hallsville Quarter regeneration project in Canning Town, London.
The project, part of the £3.7 billion Canning Town and Custom House Regeneration Programme, recently held a topping out ceremony, marking the completion of the 11-s
29/01/2025
Willmott Dixon Interiors is carrying out a significant upgrade to the roof of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, one of London's most iconic cultural landmarks.
As part of the £12 million project, the company is installing over 23,000 square feet of sun-protected glazing above the museum’s
29/01/2025
Equans has been appointed by Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils to carry out crucial decarbonisation work across the councils' housing stock, using funding secured through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF).
The councils used the South East Consortium's Zero Carbon Framework to s
29/01/2025
In the world of construction, the quest for energy efficiency and sustainability is ever-evolving. Among the array of solutions available, EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) insulation stands out as a versatile and effective option for enhancing the thermal performance of buildings, particularly when used f
29/01/2025
BCP Council has completed significant coastal protection works at Hamworthy Park, ensuring its resilience against erosion for the next 20 years.
A 200-metre stretch of sea wall along the eastern promenade has been reinforced using low-carbon concrete, while new steps have been constructed to improv
29/01/2025
Geo-environmental consultancy and remediation contractor, The LK Group, has strengthened its team with a trio of recruits.
The multidisciplinary company's latest raft of hires comprises a new director, associate director and remediation manager.
The geo-environmental specialist, headquartered i
