A couple who say they were scammed out of £1,000 by a cowboy gardener have launched a petition asking for all tradespeople to be required to be registered
Dave and Kay Richard, of Gedney, are hoping others will sign their petition on the Government’s web page.
On it Kay writes: “The Government should require all tradespeople to be registered legally before practising, therefore helping to stop people being conned out of their money and having half-finished and inadequate jobs being undertaken.
“I live in a district where we are constantly being pestered with unqualified workmen asking ridiculous prices, we have just parted with £1,000 for five hours’ work done by a so called gardener.”
John said the work carried out was so poor they had to get another gardener into redo it.
It followed a cold caller turning up at the door and the couple paying the money upfront for two days’ work.
“There seems to be a lot of awareness this is a problem but very little being done,” said John. “The person who did the work gave a business card with email and phone number, that when you rang said it wasn’t connected.
“Then he’d ring back but hang up when we asked him why he hadn’t come back.
“He even had the temerity to come back and ask if there’s any other work.”
Kay argues that all tradesmen should be signed up to an official body where complaints could be lodged.
“It seems to happen a lot in this district.
“We know of others it’s happened to. One person complained and they were threatened, as were their pets.
“It’s absolutely sickening.
“Trading Standards don’t help and Citizen’s Advice told us there’s no point reporting it to the police.”
The couple have reported the incident to the police.
The petition is available at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/643537
