Roofing Fraudsters

Roofing Fraudsters

Do not hit reply to this message - See the the contacts and telephone numbers provided by HCC Trading Standards at the end of this warning

Hertfordshire Trading Standards is warning residents to steer clear of roofing fraudsters who are currently targeting Hertfordshire homeowners

The warning follows local reports in recent weeks of residents who had been involved with illegitimate roofers in St Albans, Harpenden and Hemel Hempstead. The rogue traders reportedly offered to do roofing and guttering work, with criminals pressuring residents into costly and unnecessary jobs.

Recent interventions by Trading Standards have fortunately prevented some substantial losses for residents but a number of residents have not been so lucky. They have paid thousands of pounds for poor quality work that needs to be completely redone. The best protection is not engaging with doorstep criminals and ensuring friends, family, and especially isolated or vulnerable neighbours receive the same advice and support.

Roofing frauds often begin with criminals offering seemingly low-cost repairs to gain initial agreement, before rapidly escalating the scope and price of the work, including when they claim to have "found" additional problems. In many reported cases, scaffolding is erected at the earliest opportunity, creating urgency and making it far harder for residents to withdraw, even when concerns rise.

Once work begins, only a fraction of the quoted repairs may be completed, leaving residents with shoddy workmanship and inflated charges, and in some instances, needing to pay for work to be rectified or completed by a reputable roofer. This combination of pressure tactics, unnecessary work, and lack of redress forms a consistent pattern across recent reports of roofing doorstep crime.

Protect yourself from doorstep frauds

The Trading Standards advice is clear: don't deal with doorstep traders. Be very selective when choosing traders to do work on your house -

Get at least three written quotes - prepare a clear detailed brief beforehand.

Seek references, read reliable reviews, and ask to visit previous jobs where possible.

If you can, use personal recommendations from family and friends. Social media is not a personal recommendation and can be easily infiltrated by doorstep criminals.

Be cautious about using “recommended” trader sites or leaflets. Hertfordshire Trading Standards can only recommend using Which? Trusted Traders, as we are satisfied with the level of checks carried out. www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/goodtrader

Check company details - if it's a limited company, verify status, incorporation date, and directors via the Companies House register. Be wary of a company only recently incorporated or with a registered address which is not local. Be aware however, that being a limited company does not guarantee that they are a genuine trader or will do the job any better than a sole trader.

Confirm affiliations - contact any organisation whose logo appears on a leaflet or website; if they are not affiliated, report to Hertfordshire Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133

Insist on a written contract before works commence, and a 14-day cooling-off period with full cancellation rights. Always check the terms and conditions.

Check and verify a trader's insurance.

Be wary if you are asked to pay by cash, cheques or bank transfers to an individual if they are not the trader/company you are dealing with.

Sense-check availability - reputable traders rarely can start immediately; question any traders claiming that they "can start today" even if they say they have had a last-minute cancellation.

Actions to avoid:

Don't contact traders solely via leaflets, online platforms, adverts in the paper, local signage or social media.

Don't pay large sums of money upfront - schedule payments as works progress.

Don't be rushed into deciding - always seek advice from a trusted friend or family member before agreeing to works.

Report, advice, and guidance

Call 999 if the trader is aggressive or starts work without your agreement. These are crimes in action, please do not feel that it is a waste of anyone’s time. Please look out for any vulnerable neighbours and report any concerns.

If you are suspicious about a trader who has knocked at your door, report it to the police on 101.

Contact Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice for help and advice on 0808 223 1133.

Contact your bank's fraud team if you think you've been scammed: Call 159 - Stop Scams UK.

If you have been tricked into sending money by bank payment as a result of a fraud, check out the Toolkit and UK Finance Authorised Push Payment Fraud guidance for more information on recovering lost money.

Having a large-scale renovation of your roof may require building control – Contact your local district council if you have any queries about this aspect.

Report fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting the Report Fraud website.

Request a No Cold Caller sticker from Hertfordshire Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133

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Message Sent By
Keith Batchelor
(HertsWatch, MSA, Hertfordshire)