Shane Rollinson of The Shrubbery, Dudley, was found guilty of participating in a fraudulent business carried out by a sole trader and engaging in misleading commercial practices.
He was sentenced to 12 months in prison at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday (23 February) following a trial in December last year.
The court was told that Rollinson was engaged as a builder to carry out cladding and driveway work at a property in Bushbury.
The homeowner paid Rollinson £5,000 in advance and he carried out work over a 2 day period.
However, the work which included ripping down a fence and laying just 3 inches of hardcore, was of a very poor standard.
Rollinson also made false promises to complete the work and despite numerous attempts to retrieve the £5,000, the homeowner has never been reimbursed.
In addition, Rollinson made demands for a further £2,500 for materials, which the homeowner refused to pay.
The court also heard that Rollinson had failed to provide the consumer his full name, business name and address throughout their entire dealings.
Councillor Craig Collingswood, City of Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet member for environment and climate change, said: “The homeowner in this case was left substantially out of pocket by placing his trust in a rogue trader.
“Our Trading Standards team were able to step in and support the householder and I am pleased to see the positive outcome in the courts.
“It is very important that we shine a light on cases like this to help people remain aware of such unscrupulous individuals and to let them know what they need to consider before engaging anyone to carry out work.”
City of Wolverhampton Council’s Trading Standards team advises residents to obtain 3 written quotes when having major building work done and only deal with recommended, reputable tradespeople who provide the appropriate credentials.
Anyone concerned about work they have had done can email trading.standards@wolverhampton.gov.uk
