26 April 2023 , 12:25
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A daughter claims her terminally ill dad was fleeced of £18,000 by a cowboy builder hired off Gumtree.
Laura Jones' parents David, 58, and Donna, 57, found the tradesman operating under the name AMAC Building Ltd in October last year.
The same person is listed as the sole director on Companies House.
Laura, 22, explained her dad had mobility issues due to his health and wanted an internal garage converted into a bedroom, shower room and utility area to "gain some independence back".
The couple were also getting an upstairs en-suite installed at their Liverpool property, having moved in just two months before.
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Laura said her dad had spoken to two different builders but said he "liked" the tradesman from AMAC.
David Jones, 58, hired a builder to convert his garage in Old Swan (Laura Jones)She told the Liverpool Echo: "The original quote was £12,000 but they added some things on and it went to £19,000, which was fine."
Laura alleges the builder initially said he would have the job done "in a few weeks".
David paid £7,000 to AMAC Building Ltd on October 27, followed by instalments of between £2,000 and £4,000 in November and December.
Laura said there was little progress on the project between October and December.
She added: "He did actually get rid of the asbestos but that's the last thing that was done to any standard. He then started showing up less and less."
The ECHO has reached out to the tradesman behind AMAC for comment and while they did not send a statement, they are understood to dispute the claims.
Laura said she was close to her dad and that he was "always very trusting and kind" but he was "losing hope" towards the end.
The tradesman was eventually confronted about the job by David just before Christmas 2022.
Laura said he demanded £2,000 to finish the work, but her dad "drew the line".
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She added: "He came to get his tools and that was the last time he was there."
Laura said Donna and David were left with no toilet access downstairs, with a toilet fitted in a room with no ceiling or floors and with bare walls.
In January, David unfortunately fell one night on his way to a bathroom inside the property and sadly died six days later in hospital of multiple organ failure with pneumonia onset.
Laura said she feels like the situation is a "brick wall" blocking her from getting over her dad's death and that the situation has been "tough" on the family.
She added: "The garage is just full of stuff now. My mum wants it completed to some standard because it's a tip. It's been difficult. Everything's changed and I think it's been a tough year for her and all of us."
After speaking to Citizens Advice, Laura sent the builder an email on behalf of her mum offering to resolve the matter out of court and demanding a refund of £18,000 by March 31, 2023. However, neither she or Donna have received a reply or any money back.
Laura has contacted the police but claim they told her 'it's nothing to do with them'. She added: "I've looked into legal advice but I'm unsure how much it's going to cost. At this point, it's not about recouping money. It's the fact he's still on Gumtree."
According to Companies House, AMAC Design & Build Bespoke Building Company Ltd was incorporated in July 2022 and is still listed as 'active'.
A spokesperson for Gumtree said:“We are sorry to hear about Ms Jones and her family’s experience, and we have taken action to block the offending user’s account from our platform.
“We strongly encourage all users to research any tradespeople thoroughly before hiring them, such as ensuring their business is legally registered and checking to see if they have insurance as well as any warranties or guarantees. You can also ask for References for their previous work and check for any online reviews.
“Ms Jones did the right thing by speaking to Citizens Advice, and we also urge any users with a concern about a company or tradesperson they have hired on our site to report them to Trading Standards, as well as reporting them to Gumtree so our dedicated Trust and Safety team can investigate and take action. You can report concerns to us via our Help Desk online here.”