Stop these cowboys

A mother was left with an unevenly surfaced garden and a pile of debris at her Flixton home.

And other victims of cowboy builders that have come to light include an 84 year-old woman and a businessman.

The mother took on the workmen to surface her garden to make it into a flat play area for her toddler son..

She says the workmen were very plausible but a day after starting they tried to increase the £250 price. When she refused to pay more, they said they had only been joking. When they finally did the job she says the surface was bumpy and uneven, but they reassured her it would settle down.

The irate mother later discovered rubble tipped by the side of her garage. And the uneven garden is not fit for her little boy to play in. Animal garden ornaments belonging to the toddler were also broken during the work.

In a separate incident, an 84 year-old woman from Davyhulme recently fell victim to cowboy builders. They dug up her front garden and then tried to increase the price to £1,000. When she refused to pay they left it in a state.

A businessman from Davyhulme also had his garden wrecked.

The mother told SUM: "These workmen have complete disregard for everyone. Our garden is unsafe now for my son.

"Everyone needs to be very careful because they are very plausible and it is not just vulnerable people they prey on."

Joe Mann, assistant director at Trafford trading standards, says: "It is an age old con. The public should not entertain having itinerant traders to work on their home. They should get two or three quotes and speak to other people who have had work done by established traders."

People have a right to a seven day cooling off period when they buy goods costing £35-plus after a 'cold call' to their home. The trader should give them notice of seven days to cancel and not return to do the work until eight days later.

Mr Mann added: "These firms flout the cancellation period - they break the law when they don't give a notice of cancellation rights."

PEOPLE are again being warned to be on their guard against cowboy builders - after a series of complaints about shoddy workmanship.

A mother was left with an unevenly surfaced garden and a pile of debris at her Flixton home.

And other victims of cowboy builders that have come to light include an 84 year-old woman and a businessman.

The mother took on the workmen to surface her garden to make it into a flat play area for her toddler son.

She says the workmen were very plausible but a day after starting they tried to increase the £250 price. When she refused to pay more, they said they had only been joking. When they finally did the job she says the surface was bumpy and uneven, but they reassured her it would settle down.

The irate mother later discovered rubble tipped by the side of her garage. And the uneven garden is not fit for her little boy to play in. Animal garden ornaments belonging to the toddler were also broken during the work.

In a separate incident, an 84 year-old woman from Davyhulme recently fell victim to cowboy builders. They dug up her front garden and then tried to increase the price to £1,000. When she refused to pay they left it in a state.

A businessman from Davyhulme also had his garden wrecked.

The mother told SUM: "These workmen have complete disregard for everyone. Our garden is unsafe now for my son.

"Everyone needs to be very careful because they are very plausible and it is not just vulnerable people they prey on."

Joe Mann, assistant director at Trafford trading standards, says: "It is an age old con. The public should not entertain having itinerant traders to work on their home. They should get two or three quotes and speak to other people who have had work done by established traders."

People have a right to a seven day cooling off period when they buy goods costing £35-plus after a 'cold call' to their home. The trader should give them notice of seven days to cancel and not return to do the work until eight days later.

Mr Mann added: "These firms flout the cancellation period - they break the law when they don't give a notice of cancellation rights."

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