Warning as rogue builders rip up pensioner's home

By Jack Griffith

 A PENSIONER was duped by rogue builders who asked for thousands of pounds after ripping off wall fittings, as police warn residents of cold-calling con artists.
Colin Welch, of Victoria Avenue, Hillingdon, was paid a visit by three men claiming to be from a building company that had taken over IPP Building Maintenance, the Ruislip-based firm that had previously fitted the cladding on the house.
He was told that the materials that had previously been used were substandard, and because the new company would be liable should any damage occur, they would need to be replaced.
"They said that the work would take a few hours, and the story was plausible," said Mr Welch. "They didn't ask for any money up front, and said that it would just be a quick job at no cost. They had all of my details, and knew that I had used IPP before."

After hacking off roof tiles and wall fittings, they informed the 75-year-old that they couldn't replace the cladding because they had discovered underlying damage that needed to be addressed first.
"They told me that all sorts of things were wrong - loose bricks, damp, you name it, and they quoted me £20,000 to fix it.
"I told them that I was on a basic pension and did not have that kind of money. The quote came down to £12,000, but that was still too much,"
The three men took off soon after, leaving the detached plastic stacked in Mr Welch's alleyway, and parts of his roof exposed to the elements.
"I later called IPP and found out that they were still trading as before. I went up onto my roof and had a look for myself, and of course I couldn't see any of the problems they had said were there.
"I feel a bit stupid for falling for it in the first place, and I'm very angry. It's going to cost me hundreds of pounds to get it as it was before, and I just want other people in the area to know that these blokes are out there so they won't make the same mistake that I did."
Paul Caruana, Director at IPP, told the Gazette: "These people have nothing to do with IPP - we have never knocked on someone's door looking for business.
"We are an established firm that has been operating in Hillingdon for many years, and this may be why unscrupulous people are using our name to con people. If any of our customers are unsure, they should call us our freephone number - 0800 731 0168."
Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Paul Beetham, of Hillingdon Police, has urged people to be wary of door-knocking tradesmen.
"Residents should pay particular attention to cold callers. Our advice is to request a number of quotes from different reputable contractors, and don't feel pressured into making a decision. A payment schedule should also be considered.
"If you are in any doubt, close the door and call the police."