Walsall roofer fined as quote led to angina attack

Graham Worrall felt pains in his chest and could hardly breathe as Mitchell Seedhouse haggled after suddenly increasing the price for repairing an alleged leak by 2,400 per cent. The pensioner, who had already paid him £950 for a botched job, was later taken to hospital and kept under observation overnight, Wolverhampton magistrates heard yesterday.

Seedhouse, whose one-man business was called Restoration Roofing, did such a bad job cleaning and painting the roof while removing and replacing the tiles and dry verge that a chartered building surveyor later ruled it had 'no functional or commercial value'. It will have to be replaced.

Then the 21-year-old went up into the loft and told Mr Worrall and his wife there was a leak despite an expert later reporting there was no evidence of one. He agreed to repair it for £30 but said the price was £720 after completing the task, the court heard.

Mr Robert Marshall, prosecuting on behalf of Wolverhampton City Council, said: "Seedhouse made several attempts to extract the money from Mr Worrall and during that Mr Worrall received an angina attack that required hospital treatment."

The prosecutor continued: "He had used underhand tactics by misleading them into believing there was a leak in the roof and then agreed to do it for a nominal sum and only when the work was completed did he attempt to inflate the price. He was persistent and made several attempts to inflate the price and recklessly engaged in a commercial practice that contravenes the requirements of professional diligence."

Mr Worrall and his wife, who live in Bushbury, refused to pay the £750 and called in Trading Standards officers who launched an investigation that ended when married father of one Seedhouse yesterday admitted committing four unfair trading offences at the address on or about August 13, 2012.

He was now working under the guidance of his 57-year-old father-in-law Fred Smith, said Mr James Morris, defending, who added: "He accepts that his very poor workmanship has let himself and his family down.

"He has been on a steep learning curve but since then he has completed an apprenticeship and is being looked after by Mr Smith, an honest and hard working individual."

Seedhouse from Miller's Walk, Pelsall was fined £1,230 and ordered to pay £2,000 costs and £1,500 compensation by magistrates. Chairman Mr Les Wallis told him: "You caused a great deal of anxiety and distress putting Mr and Mrs Worrall through a terrible ordeal. Your shoddy workmanship has led them to distrust traders."