Cowboy builder fined £7k over shoddy work
A rogue builder who carried out shoddy work and used aggressive business practices in Halesowen has had to fork out more than £7,000.
Simon Pound, trading as Complete Landscapes, of Oak Street, Kingswinford, pleaded guilty to six offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and two offences under the Fraud Act 2006 in front of Dudley magistrates.
The prosecution was brought forward by Dudley Council's trading standards team.
The court heard on October 26, 51-year-old Pound failed to notify two customers of their cancellation rights, failed to provide them with paperwork and failed to carry out professional diligence about building a wall, steps and laying paving and blocks.
When the customers complained about the poor quality work, Pound, whose home address was listed in Poole, Dorset, threatened to remove the patios he had laid rather than put right the problems.
The court imposed a 12-month community order with 200 hours of unpaid work and ordered him to pay compensation of £5,445 to the two complainants,along with £2,361 costs to the council.
Speaking afterwards, Councillor Rachel Harris, cabinet member responsible for trading standards, said: "This prosecution sends a clear message that we will protect consumers from rogue traders who flout the law and carry out sub standard work.
"This kind of activity causes a huge amount of distress to the victims who have worked hard and saved to pay for improvements to their home and are then badly let down."
