Episode 10 Cowboy Trap

Today I'm in the northwest, in the market town of Warrington,

where one unfortunate lady

was left devastated by cowboy builders.

To see outside, to me is a nightmare.

I'm just not used to living... basically in a tip.

Jean's so-called builders took advantage of her good nature,

and left her high and dry.

I was brought up that if you treat somebody properly,

they will reciprocate and treat YOU well -

but it doesn't work like that now.

It seems everybody's out for what they can get.

Today, I'm going to show you some HUGE building blunders, and you won't believe your eyes.

I just hope that nobody else falls into the trap that I fell into.

My team and I are here to address the mess

those cowboy builders leave behind.

Wow! Oh, my...

If you take on board all my advice and top tips, you won't go falling into the cowboy trap.

'Today's Cowboy Trap is the terrible tale of trusting gran Jean,

'who was played like a cash machine by a cowboy con artist.'

He'd asked for the first thousand pound for the digger,

and I just kept handing money over left, right and centre - it was just

£1,000 here, £6,000 there, £5,000 there...

'It's an expensive lesson for Jean, and a big warning for us all to be on our guard

'against new acquaintances who pretend to be our best friends.'

My brother took the last £1,000 and put it in his safe, he wouldn't let me have it.

Because, he said, "They're not having any more money off you."

And that was... The pot ran dry.

'Jean has been left living in a granny annexe with dangerous electrics,

'defective plumbing, leaky roof,

'and gaping holes around the doors and windows.

'The cowboy builders have even left behind their crowning glory...

'she has her own moat outside the back door.

'Yes, today we're in Warrington,

'where Jean Pownall hoped to build the perfect granny annexe onto her daughter's house.

'But Jean became a cash machine for the builder who milked her bank account dry.

'Jean fell headlong into the cowboy trap, and her dreams for a perfect retirement home lay in ruins.'

I couldn't live with myself.

Do you know what I mean?

Because I'd made such a stupid fool of myself by doing this.

And as I say, I hope nobody else does it, and I hope they realise

it's so easy for a woman on her own.

'Recently widowed Jean was recovering from cancer.

'Her retirement savings were being swallowed up in rent, so she wanted to live with daughter Sarah.

'A plan was hatched to build a granny annexe onto Sarah's house.'

I'd been renting for two-and-a-half years,

and at £600 a month, my money was disappearing very fast.

'Plans for Jean's dream granny annexe were quickly drawn up.'

It was going to cost 25, 28 maximum,

and that was everything.

That was inside, painted - everything.

Outside, you know, there was to be

a wall here, that went round the corner with a gate on.

The front was going to be... It was all somehow going to be levelled -

you know, I don't know how -

and we would be able to park in front.

'The one-bed, living room, kitchen and bathroom granny annexe

'was close to becoming a reality.

'Jean's £35,000 savings would comfortably pay for it -

'and even better, with the builder available now

'the job would only take ten weeks,

'so Jean would be able to move in quickly, and save a precious £600 rent every month.'

Before I'd really got time to debate whether it was exactly what I wanted,

he'd got erm...an architect involved.

'Follow my top tip to stay out of trouble.

'If negotiations move too fast for you,

'don't be afraid to slow things down

'until you fully understand and agree with everything

'that's being decided.

'Mistakes can be very costly.

'Jean had been handing out cash hand over fist -

'but when her money ran out, so did the builder.

'Out of funds, Jean couldn't afford to pay rent any more,

'and had no choice but to move in -

'even though her granny annexe was unfinished.'

They knew the roof was leaking, the windows and doors weren't sealed

and the outside was like this,

but all those things were going to cost money. And I didn't have money.

'The original quote was for a maximum £28,000.

'But by the time Jean moved in, she had parted with £42,000.

'She was left with a leaky roof, unfinished windows and doors,

'a gaping hole outside her back door,

'poor plumbing, lethal electrics,

'and wasted materials abandoned outside.'

Well, once they knew

that the last £2,000, I think it was, that they got was all I...

I'd got nowhere to get it from.

I sold my car.

I had a new Fiesta, and I sold it and I've got a 13-year-old Jeep now.

'Coming up: An independent inspector gives their verdict on the work done

'on Jean's granny annexe.'

It's completely unsafe. One of the doors didn't close,

there was a big gap in the top of the door letting a draught in,

and that's before we even start talking about the plumbing.

You know, there are certain aspects of our society

that are most vulnerable to cowboy builders and rogue traders,

and that's single women and old age pensioners,

And here we have Jean, a 68-year-old pensioner that's been done over by a very big rogue indeed.

Time for me to take a look at the evidence for myself.

-Hello, Jean?

-Yes.

-Hi, I'm Clive Holland from Cowboy Trap.

Oh, hello, pleased to meet you. Come in.

-Thank you. I want to check out just how naughty these builders have been in your property.

-Oh, please do.

'Jean didn't notice the serious problems until she moved in.

'Recovering from cancer, she shouldn't have to struggle

'in her new home.'

Wow. This looks a little bit rickety...

That must be tricky for you, Jean.

It's dreadful - and in the ice it was just unbelievable.

It really was... you know, very dangerous.

-And look at the gap there, as well.

-I know.

But this is what I'm more concerned about, with you not being so brilliant on your feet.

-Like you rightly say, when that's...

-When it was icy and snowy, it was very dangerous.

-Yeah. We need to address that.

-Yes.

-We need to address that somehow.

That door's not hanging too brilliant, either.

No, there's about a half-inch or so gap at the top.

I can erm...sort of see daylight out of it when I'm sat down.

You can see right through that?

Yes, I have to sit with a rug round my legs because of the...

-Because of the cold?

-Yes. Yeah.

Well, you're losing all heat out of there as well so

it's costing you more money to run your heating while that's happening.

OK, we'll look at that, and I'll look at that from inside

but you be careful going over there.

'The finish isn't much better inside,

'and I don't like the look of these electric sockets at all.'

So... Problems in your bedroom area, for instance...

What problems do you have here?

Erm... the socket's falling off the wall.

You put the plug in, and the socket comes out with the plug.

-Oh... That is dangerous.

-Yes.

Right, I know you've got problems in your en suite...

'This bathroom layout's a mess -

'especially considering it was designed especially for Jean,

'and the builder KNEW she wasn't good on her feet!'

The washbasin, as you can see, is...

It looks more like a finger bowl!

Yes, well, once you've got your hands in it, it's full.

So to wash your face, it's just more or less impossible.

-It would be with one of my big dabs!

-Yes, I'm afraid it would.

Look where it's situated as well.

-How do you get in?

-You can't. You can't stand in front of it.

I can wash my hands only. But to have an actual wash...

I have to stand in the bath to have a wash.

That's bonkers. Absolutely bonkers.

In terms of the bath, obviously you've got your disabled bath there.

What's the problem there?

The problem mainly is, when the washer empties, it fills up the bath.

If I've had an actual bath in it, it takes 20 minutes to empty.

And of course with it being a walk-in bath,

I have to sit in it while it's emptying.

Because unless it's emptied, I can't open the door.

So we've got plumbing issues there.

We've got electrical issues in the bedroom, we've got plumbing issues inside your en suite...

The Xpelair doesn't work either.

-Oh, the extractor fan doesn't?

-No.

Ah. I can see one of the reasons why - it's actually a wall fan.

That pull cord is for wall-mounting...

Right.

So we'll get the electricians in and we'll investigate that as well.

It's certainly not fit for purpose.

'We can't have Jean stranded in the bath, waiting for the freezing cold water to drain

'before she can open the door and get out.

'We'll also have to investigate why the washing machine is emptying into the bath.

'The kitchen is the next port of call.'

Now...

-Ooh, compact and bijou(!)

-Very. Yes, very.

-Certainly can't get lost in here.

-Yeah!

OK, so that's where the washing machine's attached then,

-to the waste...

-Yes.

..that's connected with your bath and

your sink that's in the en suite.

In the en suite, yes.

The skirting looks a bit higgledy-piggledy.

I know, it's a mess, isn't it?

And down the side of the fridge are two double sockets,

which of course stand about an inch proud from the wall.

Not that I could ever use them down there anyway.

-You couldn't get to 'em.

-No. I couldn't.

'Here's a tip.

'New building work and electrics are governed by strict regulations,

'and you need certificates to prove your job meets them.

'You'll need these certificates when you come to sell your home.

'Jean DOES have certificates,

'but the paperwork for the electrics is incomplete.

'They should be checked.'

So what could we do for you that would make life better?

Well, really, if it's safe.

I would like to know that it's safe.

-OK. On the electrical side...

-Yes. Definitely on the electrical side.

And the plumbing - I would like the water disappear out of the bath...

-Of course.

-..in a reasonable length of time.

And outside, when I go out the back door, I would like to know that

-I wasn't going to break my neck or fall down a two-foot hole.

-Yes.

Erm... You know, there's things I CAN live with,

but some things are important.

I can nearly watch the sun set when I'm sat in the lounge,

through the gap in the top of the back door...

And you can feel the gale force winds coming in.

Well, I sit with a blanket round my legs every night,

because I'm in direct line of it.

So there are, you know... Some things are worse than others, I know, but...

OK. Well, look, Jean - leave it with me. All right?

I'm going to get the good guys in,

and very soon I'll hope to be showing you

exactly what the good guys can do.

'Jean gave her builder every penny she had.

'She managed to get the roof and gutters fixed,

'but simply can't afford to put right the other wrongs.

'We need to make the outside of Jean's granny annexe safe,

're-hang the door to stop the draughts,

'investigate all those plumbing problems,

'make sure they're properly fixed, and even more importantly

'we'll be running vital electrical tests

'on all those dangerous-looking sockets.

'And here come the good guys who can make that all happen.

'Before we get started, independent building inspector Chris McCarthy

'is going to give me HER verdict

'on building work done by Jean's so-called builders.'

Now, either that's Mary Poppins or it's Chris. How are you, Chris?

-I'm OK.

-Good to see you.

I noticed you're taking a look at this bit of a debacle

of an extension to the property - well, an annexe, really, for Jean.

I know you've had a chance to look around, both inside and out.

What's your opinion of what's gone on in there?

Erm, it is a bit hard to say WHAT'S gone on in there,

because there's an awful lot of problems that are going on.

We had a look at the spaghetti junction

that is the electrics that's in there,

and again I find it hard to believe that they were done by someone

that was of approved quality, which of course then undermines

the electrics in the main house as well as the electrics in the annexe.

So that's one of the issues. And also, to go back and remedy that

is going to be a bigger problem as well

because of the implications or any electrician that comes in.

And because Jean, again, she's a bit dodgy on her pins...

You know, just out by the threshold of the front door here,

and the back door that led onto the decking area - great big gaps.

Yeah, gaps in everything. Just no attention to detail.

I mean, it's completely unsafe -

before we even start talking about the plumbing to the building

or the actual finishes themselves, which were just...well,

rough as many an expression.

Yes, exactly. And I think they've sort of affected every single aspect of this build.

I'm completely shocked that a building inspector's looked at it...

and I think Jean was saying that when they came out,

they advised her that she needed a fire alarm fitted.

And quite frankly, to be able to walk past any of this and not see it as a problem -

let alone the numerous other things that are in the property -

that troubles me.

It is a poor job. And with that in my mind - this is the crucial bit -

what sort of mark out of ten would you give these...

I'm not going to call them builders. What sort of mark out of ten

would you give these guys that did this work?

There are some elements of the work that are passable.

The brickwork itself isn't too bad in places.

The mortar joints are a bit big.

So a bit of credit's got to be due -

but the fact that they've taken so much money,

the way that they've run it and haven't put a contract in place,

I think maybe three... Possibly four if I was feeling a bit generous.

OK. Well, three or four - it's just not good enough, simple as that.

'Four out of ten!

'And Chris raises some valid questions about the building inspector

'who signed off this terrible work,

'which I definitely want to investigate further.

'Coming up: I'll make a very surprising discovery

'about the identity of Jean's builder.'

He was always very attentive to her.

You know, he was... He seemed very nice to her,

to her, so for him to just walk out the way he did, to me didn't seem...

You know, I wasn't expecting it, let's put it that way.

'Pensioner Jean Pownall spent her life savings - £42,000 -

'on a granny annexe which she was promised

'would cost no more than 28 grand.

'We've got the good guys in now. So what's the plan?

'Paul is running the job today,

'and he doesn't like the look of Jean's electrics at all.'

-It's a real spaghetti junction in there.

-Yeah.

Erm...

Then we're going to look at the plumbing, which is horrendous.

What else are we going to do in terms of outside?

Well, we want to make sure she can get in and out safely.

That's mainly finishing the decking off.

Brilliant. Keep up the good work, and stay out of this horrible rain.

'Our guys have got a big job ahead making Jean's granny annexe safe.

'So by now, you're probably wondering

'why Jean put so much trust in her builder -

'so much trust, she has no contract or invoices.

'That's because she knew him already.'

My daughter was erm... was going out with this man,

he was living here more or less,

and he decided that him and his...

..family if you like, cousins and that,

they were people who could build.

They took me round the corner to a house and showed me -

only from the outside -

one that they'd already done,

and they could get it built, cover the architect...

you know, sort the architect, and sort everything out.

'Sarah's daughter - Jean's granddaughter -

'remembers how they ALL thought the granny annexe was a great idea.'

It was my mum's boyfriend's idea to put an annexe on my mum's house

so she's got a bit more security.

So my mum's always there, she's got a flat floor and can move around.

It's been quite a difficult few years with her.

So yeah, that was just the idea to get it all done.

'With the boyfriend and his cousin doing the build, none of the family

'expected ANYTHING could possibly go wrong.

'And the granny annexe would save Jean paying out for rent, too.'

They didn't like the fact that I was paying £600 a month rent,

and they thought I should have somewhere more permanent.

So...it was discussed that Sarah had this annexe built on for me.

And sort of straight away, Paul said,

"I can do that. That's what we do.

"We can do everything from start to finish."

This is your daughter's boyfriend at the time,

-said, "Look, we can build you this annexe"...

-Yes.

Everything. We can do everything.

Now, was this a written agreement between the two parties?

No. Only me wrote it down.

I wrote everything down - but nothing official, nothing official at all.

So you didn't get the builder to sign

exactly what was going to be carried out.

I didn't. I didn't do anything like that.

'Some builders prey on the vulnerable,

'including single women and pensioners,

'so follow my top tip to stay safe.

'It's always a good idea to get someone else involved -

'someone impartial to discuss your project with,

'who won't have the same emotional attachment as you.

'Jean's daughter handed over all her mum's cash to the builder and his cousin.

'Jean didn't even understand what it was all for.'

I haven't got one receipt. None at all.

I have two cheque stubs that went to the erm...

-surveyors, I think they were.

-Yeah, the build inspectors.

The inspectors, yes.

Now, they were, um...

On behalf your local building council, they actually got the

go-ahead to take over that job, to inspect the work.

Yes, I didn't do anything about that. They organised all that.

New properties must be inspected by the local authority to make sure they meet building regulations.

Very occasionally, the authority may accept the report

from private inspectors, which is what happened here.

We called to account the boss of the firm that signed off

the work originally, and asked him to explain how such shoddy work got passed by one of his inspectors.

Now, obviously, we've looked at the build, we've had independent

surveyors and other experts take a look at it,

and I know you've had a look at it since you've been here.

It's not a good build, it's not a good build in their opinion, in my opinion.

-I don't know how you feel about it.

-No, in fact, when you get close into it, it's quite appalling.

-Yeah.

We did make comments about the quality of the building at the time, when we carried out our inspections.

Was that to the builder?

We made those comments in our notes,

because there's the differential between quality and whether or not

it complies with the building regulations, and we took the

view that, whilst the quality was poor, it was sufficient to comply with the regulations.

Did you think, each time you visited and spoke to this builder...

do you feel that he complied with what you wanted?

We went to considerable lengths with this particular project to discuss with the builder

the subsequent parts of the project that he was going to build.

We went into details about how he was going to deal with cold-bridging, insulating the walls,

insulating the roof, etc, and took some time in doing that.

It appears to me that what's actually happened is that advice

has been completely disregarded and he's carried on with the work

willy-nilly and covered up work that has been concealed that we haven't been able to see as non-complying.

I think, given a second chance, you wouldn't have passed this.

Hand on heart, I don't think you'd have passed this work.

There are a couple of areas where we would have perhaps made additional notes,

but whether or not we would have issued a final certificate...

quite probably.

Quite probably?

-We would have done.

-You would?!

That's shocked me cos I like your honesty.

I really like the fact that you're putting your hands up.

I don't believe, Philip... Seriously now, I don't believe...

I understand you've got to toe that party line.

I don't believe you would.

Looking in your eyes now, I don't seriously believe,

if you're honest and being honest, you would've passed that. Come on!

-We take experience to the heart...

-Yes.

..and there are certain matters relating to this extension that I'm taking back

and we will be making one or two slight changes.

Well, what about that?

The builders did cover up things the inspectors say they were unaware of,

starting no doubt with those dodgy electrics and appalling plumbing.

Coming up, why did poor Jean end up handing over so much money to her builders?

I paid for everything.

I paid for clothing for them when it was raining...

Jean Pownall's bank account was cleaned out by the builder and his cousin who said their team could

construct the dream granny annexe alongside her daughter's house, but they left her with a leaky roof,

unsealed windows, appalling plumbing and illegal electrics.

We've got the good guys in now, making Jean safe, and there's lots to do.

We've filled in Jean's treacherous moat and completed the decking outside her door. And great news...

Paul has solved the mystery of the slow-draining bath.

Well, here you see the pipe...

There's actually no bore at all in that pipe. Very, very minimal light.

-Can hardly see any light at all!

-Yeah, it's, um...

-Oh, is it really that gunked up?

-Yeah, yeah.

What is it full of?

It's tile adhesive and grout mainly.

Not very hygienic, is it? I'm glad it's you handling it, not me.

In fact, you've got a bucket down there.

-Just shake that out for us.

-Yeah, no problem. I can do that for you.

-And that is half the bore from the pipe.

-Look at that!

It was completely blocked up with tile adhesive and grout.

I tell you what, Jean reckoned it took about 20 minutes for the water

to go down and she had to sit in tepid water. I reckon, looking at that, it must've been longer.

I feel sorry for poor Jean.

Recovering from cancer, she was vulnerable and far too willing

to dish out the readies to her builders to get her new home built.

I used to go to the bank more or less every day,

and it was quite, you know...

quite a joke with the girls in the bank because they used to say, "Have we got a roof yet, Jean?"

I used to order 6,000 for tomorrow, 7,000 for...

you know, and that was how I paid.

It all started by my nan just kind of handing out money.

Whenever Paul asked for it, my nan was just giving out money.

By the time Jean's builders were done, she'd handed over around £42,000.

A granny annexe of this size should cost around 30 grand, so where does she think all the money went?

I paid for their...

erm, electric cutters, electric saws, things...

spades and brushes. I paid for everything.

I paid for clothing for them when it was raining.

Wow!

Just remind me about what happened with the electrician, when they said the electrician

needs paying before he actually begins work.

Why did the electrician need paying?

Well, he needed a van.

So I heard that they paid him up front because he needed a van.

-You mean YOU paid him up front via them?

-Yes.

They came to you and asked for the money and they said to you...

They didn't tell me what it was for.

They didn't tell me that it was to pay...

I found out afterwards that they'd paid the electrician up front because he needed a van,

and I also found out they had bought a van between them and I'd paid £300 towards that as well.

-How does it make you feel?

-I was so hurt, really,

that they'd do that to me.

They knew that I had a maximum.

I'd said 30 but they knew I'd got 35.

And when that ran out, ten o'clock one morning, Paul just walked out the door and never came back,

leaving my nan and my mum completely clueless to what was going on.

Follow my top tip.

It's a very good idea

to have a contingency fund when you plan your building project.

There are often unforeseen additional costs

but do not reveal to your builder you have extra cash in reserve.

The bad guys will almost certainly take it off you.

As I say, I sold my car and everything,

and my brother took the last £1,000 I had and put in his safe, and he said, "They're not having it."

-And...

-That's how desperate things get, isn't it?

-I know.

-To protect you.

Coming up, I want to know what effect the boyfriend builder

has had on Jean's relationship with her daughter and what she'd like to say to the builder now.

I'd like to ask them why, really, why they think that they can leave me in the state that they've left me in

and taken so much money off me and then just walked away.

Our good guys have been really busy filling in the moat alongside Jean's decking,

sorting out that appalling plumbing,

inspecting the loose electrical sockets and sealing the doors and windows,

but we're going so much further to make poor Jean warm, safe and comfy in her dream granny annexe.

We're fixing skirtings, painting, and giving this job the kind of finish you expect

when you get the professionals in.

Even I'm getting my hands dirty cleaning up Jean's dodgy decking.

This is the lance of a pressure washer, and if you've got decking,

all through the winter you're going to get tree sap, bird lime,

and it gathers like this green mould on the surface and it can be quite dangerous.

You need to take care of it. If you get yourself a pressure washer -

either buy one, they're cheap enough these days, or hire one - and give the decking area a real good blast.

Now, the best time to do that, really, is at the start of spring,

and let it dry out nicely, give it a bit of a brush-off and then treat it

with a good-quality decking oil, and it should last and look good for years to come.

Jean blames herself for everything that went wrong with her granny annexe but, to be fair,

she and her family were hoodwinked by a cowboy builder,

who not only took all her money but left her with a sub-standard job.

If you suspect you've been had, there is help out there,

as Jean's local Trading Standards officer Roger Mapleson explains.

What is the first thing that they should do once things start to go

wrong if they're going to involve Trading Standards.

Well, as soon as you think something's gone wrong,

as soon as you have concerns or worries,

getting work like this done is big, it's a lot of money.

People want to think very carefully about this sort of job before getting into it.

But if you've got in, and think things are going wrong, don't hang around worrying,

go and get some help as soon as you can.

The first port of call now, in some ways it's very, very easy

cos nationally there is one single number which gets you through to

what I would call Trading Standards front-line service.

It's called Consumer Direct.

It's been up and running for a good few years now and provides,

effectively, our front-line for consumers who've got a problem with

something they've bought or some work that they're having done.

It doesn't matter whether it's a £10 pair of shoes or a £25,000

house extension or anything in between.

If you think the plastering's rubbish, or if you consider that the wall's gone up in the wrong place,

or you think, "Why is there a big gap round that window frame?" or "Why is that tiling not straight?"

Obviously raise it with your builder immediately, but if you start to get concerned ring, Consumer Direct.

That's your starting point. That might fix it.

If it doesn't, they'll be able to take you a little step further and a little step further.

Beyond that, they will reach a point where they'll say, "Right, I can't assist you any more.

"It's getting more complicated. We need somebody to intervene on your behalf."

It'll come back to your local Trading Standards who are likely take that on from then.

Jean didn't like to make a fuss.

After all, her builder was her daughter's boyfriend.

Daughter Sarah didn't feel up to talking to me about what happened,

but the whole sorry affair was to put a terrible strain on relations between mother and daughter.

I couldn't blame her anyway because, at that stage, I didn't realise

that there was as much wrong as there actually is. I knew things hadn't been finished,

but when he first walked out, I didn't for a minute think that they wouldn't finish it. But, you see,

-the money had run out.

-And that's why they weren't going to finish it.

Exactly. And then they were telling me, "Well, we've got to go and earn money now." And so I didn't matter.

I just was, I suppose, a number really or a notch on his walking stick, because he just used me

until I'd got nothing to take, and then he disappeared.

-They are literally cowboys.

-They are indeed.

So here's a hard-learned lesson.

Don't assume good friends and family are also good builders.

Don't be embarrassed to do all the same checks you would

with any person you pay to do work.

Check their references,

demand a written contract and don't pay in cash.

Now, you know what I always say... check references for any potential builder.

But in Jean's case, she thought she could trust him.

After all, he was her daughter's boyfriend. Wrong decision.

The boyfriend builder said his cousin was really in charge, so now Jean has some questions for him.

It's high time this cowboy gave us some answers.

After all, what kind of builder would leave an elderly lady in a state like this? Time to find out.

If you had a chance to speak to the builder, the person responsible, what would you like to ask them?

I'd like to ask them why, really,

why they think they can leave me in the state that they've left me in

and taken so much money off me and then just walked away.

I think you deserve those answers, without a shadow of a doubt.

Now, we've got a telephone number here for you to call, and let's hear what he's got to say for himself.

It's Jean. I would like to know why you left me in the state you left me in.

Just walked away, took my money and walked away.

I've had a lot of people looking at your work,

and I'm afraid they're not very happy with it,

and I'd like to know why you did it.

'The builder claims he was just being paid the wages he was due.

'He sounded surprised when Jean told him the work done is not only poor quality but unsafe.'

That standard was just disgusting and most of it is unsafe.

'He also says that it was Jean's daughter who was handing out all the money,

'so he washed his hands of any responsibility.'

She didn't have control of the money. You told her...

PHONE IS HUNG UP

He's gone. He's put the phone down.

-Interestingly enough, I was just going to interrupt there.

-Oh, right.

But... It's typical, really, that they're always wanting to blame someone else,

and he's put the phone down on you. That's as much as he cares.

He doesn't care, and this is a typical example of cowboy builders. Absolute typical example.

-You were there, giving him the cash...

-Yeah.

-And they were just doing shoddy work that we found out,

as you rightly say... We've had the Trading Standards guys round, we've had independent building surveyors,

and they've all given the same verdict, that it's poor work. You've been left in a poor state,

-for such a lot of money. Just remind us again how much money you gave these guys.

-I spent over £42,000.

-Over £42,000.

-And they quoted me 25 to 28 maximum.

They just used me and then, like you say, walked away.

And I didn't realise it was as unsafe as it was.

I suppose it was like a time bomb, really, but I didn't appreciate

how bad it was until somebody more qualified came and told me.

Well, as I say, Jean, I really hope that the work that we carry out for you,

you'll really like and you'll be able to move on.

Coming up, after all she's been through, I can't wait to see the look on Jean's face when

I show her how the good guys have transformed her granny annexe.

Wow! Oh, wow!

Poor Jean Pownall handed her life savings to her daughter's builder boyfriend and his cousin

to build her granny annexe,

but she was left with appalling plumbing, lethal electrics and gaps

around the doors and windows, and even her own moat.

Our good guys have almost finished righting all the wrongs

and making sure Jean can be safe and comfy in her retirement.

Take us through slowly everything that you've done.

First of all, we had the issue with the drains.

-We've cleared them out of all the grout and adhesive...

-The gunk that was in there.

Yeah. We sorted those out, then we sunk them in the walls where we could physically plaster the walls

without bumps in them, straighten them out and then repaint the job.

What about that skirting area in the kitchen?

Well, we renewed all the skirting in the area with new skirts cos the skirting they've used was...

To me, it looked like it had come off a reclamation job.

And then finally the electrical side of things.

-Just fill us in on how far you've got with that.

-To be honest, I would just have to condemn it

and say, "Right, start again. Let's get a proper test done."

OK, which is our future plan for the property.

It is, yeah, which, um...

-The lady of the house has commissioned us to do it at a later date.

-Yes.

OK. Well, you've affected so many areas in this property now and it looks so much better,

so well done, Paul.

Just three days ago, Jean's granny annexe was draughty and dangerous.

The bath didn't drain, the door didn't fit, the decking was a death trap, the electrics were lethal

and the plumbing appalling,

but Paul and his team have transformed this once-awful annexe

into the perfect place for Jean to spend her retirement - safe, warm and comfortable.

I can't wait to see Jean's face.

(Hey, it's time to get the Jean Genie. I can't wait to show her what we've done.)

I think she's in there.

-Jean, are you there?

-Yeah!

-Come on, come through here.

-Right.

-Nice to see you. Are you all right?

-Yes, I'm fine, love.

-I know we've had you cooped up for a while, haven't we?

-Not a problem.

-We've had you out of your annexe.

-I know, yes.

We've had you out of that annexe because there's lots of dodgy things had gone on there before we arrived.

-Yes, I know.

-Can you remember some of the faults that were there before we did arrive?

Well, a lot of the electric switches didn't work.

There was a gap through the back door of about half an inch, three quarters of an inch.

The bath water didn't go down. It took me 20 minutes to empty the bath.

When the washer emptied, it emptied up into the bath.

-Ooh, not nice.

-Not nice, no.

I have got loads to show you, Jean.

Oh! I just hope nobody else is as stupid as I've been.

Well, do you know, the thing is, is it stupid?

I mean, you believed that you were in the hands of competent people.

Sadly, you weren't.

-True.

-It's as simple as that.

So, on this occasion, I'm not going to blame you,

because you did seriously believe that the people around you were making sure...

-Making a good job of it.

-Correct.

-Yes.

-So we'll let you off with that.

-Thank you very much.

Nobody should have to live like that in a new annexe, especially having spent as much money as you did.

Now, the first bit is right outside. I want to show you a couple of things that we've done for you. OK?

-Yes, thank you.

-Are you ready, Jean?

-I'm ready. I'm ready, Clive.

-OK, follow me. I tell you what, no! You can go out first.

-Right.

I'll open the door. I'm a gentleman, me.

Wow! Oh, wow!

Where's my moat gone?!

-There's no moat.

-That big gap there, two foot by two foot.

Oh, that's brilliant! Thank you. That's lovely.

-You've got new decking down.

-Oh, that's fabulous.

And of course, when it gets to summer time, spring and summer...

To sit out. Oh, that's lovely. That's really nice. Thank you.

Table and chairs and a bit of...

-What do they call?

-Sunshine would be nice.

Sunshine would be nice. It would be very nice, wouldn't it?

Do you know the most important thing for me about this is it's now safe for you to come out.

Well, and especially with all the ice we've had, it really was very dangerous, but that's fantastic.

OK, one other thing before we go in. We can see it better from inside, but we've also realigned

this door now so you've got no gap at the top...

That's brilliant, yeah. I could see the sun setting through there before.

It was really very cold and I used to sit with a blanket round my legs.

-And again, all the heat loss that you've got.

-I know, yes.

Now, it's starting to rain out here, so let's go inside cos, again, loads to show you inside, Jean.

-Check out your kitchen.

-Wow.

Oh, Clive, wow! That's so much better.

That's what makes sense, doesn't it?

-It does.

-That is how it should be.

The skirting now has all been done properly.

Yes, all painted and all nice. Oh, it's lovely, Clive. It's lovely.

-Well, I'm glad you like it.

-The lads have worked so hard.

-They have.

-They really have.

They've worked from morning till night and you never heard them.

-They've never asked for anything. They've just got on with it.

-Got on with the job.

-Yes.

-OK.

-Can I go in?

-Yeah. Now, before you go through the door, though, Jean,

I've got to tell you about the socket on the far side of the bed. What was the problem with that?

It was hanging off the wall, and when you put the plug in, the whole lot came out.

All I can promise you is it's not hanging off the wall any more.

Thank you. That's lovely.

We've made the sockets safe for now so Jean isn't in imminent danger.

Good guy Paul is coming back soon to completely rewire the electrics.

Time to go into your en suite...

There are certain things you can't see.

OK, I'm sure, because I won't be able to see the washer coming up here, will I?

You can't, but I can guarantee that now, when you let the water out, it will disappear straight away.

-Not in 20 minutes?

-Not in 20 minutes.

Oh, how fantastic is that?

And when your washing machine empties, it won't come back and empty into your bath.

Right. That's brilliant.

Now, one other thing - do you remember the fan?

-I do, yes. It didn't work.

-It didn't work, did it?

Lovely, yes.

It does now, so it's going to extract the steam. So that's all be done.

What you can't see under there is that the rabbit warren of pipes has all been sorted now.

You've got a proper fall line and I promise you it will empty correctly.

I've got a bath panel as well.

-You've got a bath panel.

-Oh, wow!

Oh, that's fantastic. That's lovely.

That'll make a really big difference.

We've tidied up some of the tiling as well.

-Yeah, that's lovely, thank you.

-So now it looks something like...

But at least it functions as a proper en suite bathroom.

-Yes. Yes.

-Are you happy, Jean?

Oh, I am absolutely ecstatic!

-Well, I'm chuffed about that.

-Oh, thank you.

I'm so glad we could help Jean.

She's been through a terrible ordeal, but hopefully the dark days are behind her now.

Our good guys have banished her bath-time blues so she can soak in style,

confident the water will drain fast.

But there's more. The panel is found and the fan is fixed too.

The washer won't be causing any more bother either because we've sorted the appalling plumbing,

so she shouldn't suffer laundry suds in the bath tub.

The back door is sealed and snug, and we haven't stopped there.

The skimped skirtings have been replaced and given a sleek lick of paint.

Outside, we've filled Jean's moat and given her decking a spring-clean

so she can look forward to sitting outside and soaking up the sun.

Finally, Paul will be coming back at Jean's request to carry out a full overhaul of her electrics.

So now, Jean will be safe, warm and comfy in her granny annexe.

Thank you, because it, you know...

-I've been a bit iffy about doing this!

-A bit iffy?

Yeah, about doing this.

You know, it's quite an ordeal, this.

I know it is, and do you know what? It's because of your personality.

You think it's putting people out, don't you?

-I know, yes.

-That's what you think.

-I do.

You know, Jean, you are so, so worthy and we're really chuffed that we could help you out.

We are so chuffed.

That's really kind of you and, as I say, as long as I help somebody else not to do what I've done.

You'll be doing that, I promise you.

Now, I hope you'll agree that that's one happy lady and I'm really happy that we managed

to sort things for her, but remember...

even if you think you know the builder, do your research before entering into a contract,

and that way you won't be falling headlong into the cowboy trap.

If you've had a problem with builders and you would like to tell

your story on Cowboy Trap, then please call us on 0207 258 6724.

Or you can send us an email:

Help us round up the cowboys.

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