Citizens Advice warns roofing scams are biggest reported consumer con
Citizens Advice says suspected roofing scams are the biggest consumer con it records, with around 9,000 cases in a year and more than three quarters starting at the doorstep.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Citizens Advice has warned homeowners to be on their guard against roofing scams, saying suspected cases are the single biggest scam reported to its consumer service. It said one in four roofing complaints is a suspected scam. Separate figures put the scale at around 9,000 incidents in a year, about one every 13 minutes, and 10% of all cons recorded. More than three quarters involve doorstep sales.
The charity said rogue roofers often cold-call at homes, claim they are working nearby, and invent problems or charge upfront for phantom repairs. Roofs are out of sight and out of reach for most people, making the work hard to check. Victims have lost anything from a few hundred pounds to tens of thousands.
John Skipper said he was targeted after coming out of hospital and then having a stroke, which left him unable to climb on the roof. The roofer seemed credible and used a logo online from a company that certifies builders and roofers, which later turned out to be false. After about four days, the man left with the money and the roof leaked worse than before. Skipper reported him to trading standards, where he was unknown, and later appeared on television. Close to 100 other people across Wales came forward. The roofer was convicted and sent down for nine years, with an attempt under the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover money from frozen assets. Skipper said another local single mother with three children lost £20,000, and needed another £20,000 to put it right.
Other cases show the tactics. A woman in her 60s who lived alone posted about a guttering problem on a local website. She was called the same day with a £250 quote, but when two men arrived later in the dark the price rose to £3,500. She felt she had no option but to pay. A fraudster was caught on camera claiming to have repaired the roof of an 83-year-old and demanding payment. Viewer reports included a person in Sheffield who lost £200 to a roofer who half-finished the job, and someone in West Yorkshire who was ripped off by two separate roofers, paying £2,100 and then £3,000, with neither doing any work. Pictures from Sutton Coldfield showed severe damage.
Citizens Advice and consumer experts urged homeowners not to make decisions under pressure. They said a trusted trader will not put someone on the spot. Advice included: - get three quotes and research firms - check local council trusted trader schemes and trade association membership - be wary of anyone who only takes cash or refuses to put anything in writing - pay by credit card where possible, because Section 75 can give protection on purchases over £100, and use a debit card rather than cash - under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, services must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and customers are entitled to a full refund after giving the trader one chance to put things right, or they can hire someone else and charge the company - if a bank rejects a Section 75 claim, the Financial Ombudsman can be asked to look at it - contact Citizens Advice if worried about a scam
The roofing industry said a clampdown on cowboys is long overdue. One trade body described a tactic where a roofer gives a quote, leaves, and has scaffolding put up the next morning. That leaves customers feeling they cannot ask for it to be taken down without paying, which the body said was completely wrong. Trustworthy roofers advised using firms recommended by satisfied customers or recognised trade organisations.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Reported by all 2 channels | ||
| ITV1 reported an account in which a roofing quote rose from £9,000 to £12,000 after about half a day, and the roof leaked worse after the work was finished. | Reported by ITV | |
| One in 10 scams recorded over the past year involved roofing, according to Citizens Advice. | Reported by ITV | |
| Only on one channel | ||
| A roofing trade body said a clampdown on rogue roofers was long overdue. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Reported by ITV |
| Around three quarters of roofing scam cases involved a cold doorstep approach. | Not reported by Channel 5 | |
| Citizens Advice reported that one in four roofing complaints is a suspected scam. | Not reported by Channel 5 | |
| Roofing scams were the most reported scam to the consumer service in the past year. | Not reported by Channel 5 | |
| The rogue roofer who targeted John was convicted and sentenced to nine years, with attempts to recover money under the Proceeds of Crime Act from frozen assets. | Not reported by ITV | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The lunchtime broadcast made the warning a studio interview with Citizens Advice's Ima Sheehy, after a short victim clip. It focused on doorstep tactics, the hidden nature of roofs and practical checks such as quotes, trusted trader schemes and avoiding cash-only traders. It used the stronger one in four roofing complaints figure and did not carry the 9,000 incidents or one every 13 minutes breakdown seen later.
- “Citizens' Advice says a shocking one in four of all roofing complaints is a suspected scam.”
- “But actually a trusted trader will not put you on the spot in that way.”
- “It's often unsolicited, but they can sometimes invent problems or charge you upfront for phantom repairs.”
This broadcast put victim testimony and consumer rights at the centre. It interviewed John Skipper about losing £12,000 after illness left him unable to check the roof, and consumer expert Helen Judy explained Section 75, the Consumer Rights Act and the Financial Ombudsman. It also read viewer messages and showed damage in Sutton Coldfield, while using the narrower one in 10 scams figure.
- “one in 10 scams recorded over the past year involved roofing.”
- “I was ideal prey for scammers.”
- “he was sent down for nine years.”
The evening bulletin gave the story a fuller consumer package from its consumer editor, leading on new national figures. It framed roofing scams as a major and growing problem, with 9,000 incidents, one every 13 minutes and more than three quarters starting on the doorstep. It also added industry reaction, hidden-camera footage and the scaffolding entrapment tactic, while omitting the individual consumer rights advice seen elsewhere.
- “suspected roofing scams are the biggest complaint to Citizens Advice making up 10% of cons over the last year, around 9,000 incidents”
- “more than three quarters involve doorstep sales.”
- “One of the main roofing trade bodies says a clamp down on cowboys is long overdue.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.