Homeowners are being urged to turn away cold callers offering to carry out work on their properties after rogue builders ripped half the roof off a house.

It is one of three scamming incidents which have been reported in Brent in the past month – now the council is warning other residents to beware.

On one of the three occasions, the conmen removed a large portion of a customer’s roof while they were at work. When they returned home, the builders claimed the roof had rotten beams and attempted to pass off a timber beam prop as evidence of the rot.

The builders attempted to bully the victim into paying more money before leaving the job unfinished.

Bogus tradesmen cold call offering to carry out work on driveways, roofs and other parts of the house.

A common tactic is to agree a low cost, which then rise once work starts and supposed problems are discovered.

Traders often begin to aggressively demand much larger sums of money and effectively hold the victim to ransom over unfinished work.

Now Brent Council has issued the following advice:

  • Say 'No' to cold callers. If you need home repairs done, obtain quotes from three traders that you have arranged yourself.
  • Bogus callers may pose as water, electricity or gas-board workers, council workers or even police officers so they can steal money or property from your home. You can prevent this type of crime if you take precautions. Always ask the caller for their identification, and check it, before letting them in. Use the phone number in the phone book, not the one on their identity card. A genuine caller will happily wait outside while you check on them by calling their organization. If you feel threatened by a caller, you must ring the police on 999. If you are not sure, don’t let them in.
  • Never pay cash in advance to a tradesman.
  • When you enter into a contract, a trader must provide written notice advising of the consumer's right to cancel the contract within fourteen days. Not giving such a cancellation notice is a criminal offence. In addition if this notice is not provided, then the contract is not legally binding and is unenforceable without a court order, which technically means that the consumer will owe the trader nothing.
  • Watch out for distraction burglary tactics used by these rogue traders. Once inside the property, they may help themselves to cash and valuables whilst the homeowner's back is turned.

Anyone who suspects they have been a victim or wants to report an incidence should contact Brent Council’s Trading Standards department on trading.standards@brent.gov.uk or 020 8937 5555.