0:00:04 > 0:00:06I'm on a journey across the UK
0:00:06 > 0:00:11exposing the sharp practices of cowboy builders and rogue traders.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15It was terrifying. I mean, I had my little daughter with me
0:00:15 > 0:00:21who at the time was only one, and the weight of those pillars is shocking.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25You can't even lift them. And it was terrifying.
0:00:25 > 0:00:29Hopefully, by exposing these cowboys' tricks,
0:00:29 > 0:00:32we can prevent others from making the same mistakes.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35I feel absolutely useless
0:00:35 > 0:00:37that I allowed this to happen to myself.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40I haven't got money to throw away.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43But don't worry, we've got a top team of experts on hand
0:00:43 > 0:00:46to put right some of these botched building works.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49Ah! Now that's a wall!
0:00:49 > 0:00:51If you take on board all my hints and tips,
0:00:51 > 0:00:56together we can help prevent you from falling into the cowboy trap.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09'Today, we're travelling from Bournemouth to Bristol,
0:01:09 > 0:01:14'meeting two sets of homeowners who wanted to provide a safe home for their families.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18'But they ended up in danger when they fell into the cowboy trap.
0:01:18 > 0:01:23'Liz Cutler wanted to make sure her new home was suitable to look after foster children.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27'She didn't expect she'd end up with lethal electrics.'
0:01:27 > 0:01:32It's had a huge effect on myself and my family.
0:01:32 > 0:01:37If the children are here, I'm very concerned about what they're touching, what lights they're using.
0:01:37 > 0:01:43'And the grass certainly isn't greener for Lindsey and Chris, whose builder left them with
0:01:43 > 0:01:48'an unsafe garden wall. It fell down at the first strong gust of wind and could've killed their kids.'
0:01:48 > 0:01:51It's been a very, very upsetting time.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55You pay all your savings
0:01:55 > 0:01:59and every penny you've got to make a house very special
0:01:59 > 0:02:01and to be the lovely home you want it to be.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07We're in Bournemouth to meet Liz Cutler,
0:02:07 > 0:02:11who just wanted to know whether her electrics were safe and sound.
0:02:11 > 0:02:16'Single mum Liz Cutler lives with 13-year-old son Jay.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20'They have two dogs, Lily and Ling-Ling.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22'Liz is a foster carer.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26'When she moved from Wales to her hometown of Bournemouth,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29'she wanted to continue fostering.
0:02:29 > 0:02:34'The three-bedroom house she found needed some building work to make it suitable.'
0:02:34 > 0:02:37The property was appropriate for what I needed.
0:02:37 > 0:02:43It was at the right price and it could basically do what I wanted to do
0:02:43 > 0:02:45to make it appropriate for fostering, mainly.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49Liz has been a foster carer for three years now,
0:02:49 > 0:02:52'providing a safe home for vulnerable children.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56'So health and safety was her top priority for her new home.'
0:02:56 > 0:03:01You need fire alarms put in, fire blankets,
0:03:01 > 0:03:04windows have got to be secure and be able to be locked,
0:03:04 > 0:03:10and you want your electrics to be safe,
0:03:10 > 0:03:14gas appliances to be safe.
0:03:14 > 0:03:19And there's a lot of safety and security that we run through to become a foster carer.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24'Liz's new house needed central heating throughout,
0:03:24 > 0:03:30'but more importantly, her homebuyer's survey flagged up that her wiring upstairs wasn't safe.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34'She desperately needed an electrician to rewire the property,
0:03:34 > 0:03:39'put in a new circuit board and sockets and issue an electrical safety certificate.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42'She could then hand over the certificate to the council
0:03:42 > 0:03:46'to prove her new home was completely safe.'
0:03:46 > 0:03:50The certificate's very important to me as a foster carer.
0:03:50 > 0:03:55Basically, it's the health and safety of everything when you're fostering.
0:03:55 > 0:04:00And when you've got young children around, they're forever plugging in things
0:04:00 > 0:04:06and unplugging stuff, they've got mobile phones, games are charging.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10And not only as a foster carer. I have children and grandchildren
0:04:10 > 0:04:13and obviously myself, I want the house to be safe.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16'Liz hired a local plumber to do the central heating
0:04:16 > 0:04:19'and he recommended an electrician.'
0:04:19 > 0:04:23A very nice man, very polite, very reasonable.
0:04:23 > 0:04:29Went round, looked at the property, listed down what needed doing
0:04:29 > 0:04:35and gave me a quote, which seemed reasonable enough, and then we went ahead with the job.
0:04:37 > 0:04:42'Liz hoped the electrician's work would make her home safe and get the certification she needed.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46'She went back to her old house to finish the move.'
0:04:46 > 0:04:51Whilst I was away, the electrician went to my son's property
0:04:51 > 0:04:54to give him the certificate.
0:04:54 > 0:05:00My son was able, then, to give him his final payment of £500 on my behalf.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03'Liz made a common mistake.
0:05:03 > 0:05:08'She handed over cash without even seeing the finished work. So take a tip from me...
0:05:18 > 0:05:22'Then you can point out any snagging issues.
0:05:22 > 0:05:27'While Liz was away, her son gave the electrician his final payment
0:05:27 > 0:05:29'in return for the electrical certificate.
0:05:29 > 0:05:34'But when Liz came back to Bournemouth, she had a nasty shock.'
0:05:34 > 0:05:37Straight away, I noticed things weren't right with the electrics.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41The noticeable part of it all
0:05:41 > 0:05:47was the sockets along the top of the worktop were all uneven.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51Also, the socket as you're coming through the main door, the light switch,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54that hadn't been plastered round.
0:05:54 > 0:06:00I did contact the builder as to why they hadn't plastered round the socket
0:06:00 > 0:06:04and they told me that the socket itself
0:06:04 > 0:06:08wasn't securely fixed to the wall and they couldn't touch that.
0:06:08 > 0:06:13'The electrician had issued a test certificate, but Liz was worried.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17'She paid £1,600 to have her home rewired
0:06:17 > 0:06:22'with new sockets, circuit board and a full electrical safety certificate.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26'She was left with loose sockets and potentially lethal wiring.
0:06:26 > 0:06:32'It put her and her son in danger and meant she couldn't have foster children in.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36'Liz's brother-in-law is a retired electrician.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39'He no longer does bigger jobs like hers
0:06:39 > 0:06:41'so couldn't help Liz with her rewiring.
0:06:41 > 0:06:46'But when he saw the certificate, he knew straight away there was a problem.'
0:06:47 > 0:06:49It was not complete.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53A completion certificate is probably four or five pages
0:06:53 > 0:06:59and there's test results on there, insulation resistance, earthing resistance, things like that.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03None of that was there. And there's lots of boxes that you have to tick
0:07:03 > 0:07:07to say that you've checked this, checked that, barriers were in place,
0:07:07 > 0:07:11continuity of ring circuits are correct. None of that was there.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15So it was really ten percent of a proper certificate.
0:07:15 > 0:07:20'Worried about the work, Liz called the electrician back.
0:07:20 > 0:07:25'He made some changes, but when he left, she noticed something important was missing.'
0:07:25 > 0:07:30The test certificate was on the side and the list of jobs that needed doing.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34When I returned from work, the test certificate had gone.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37Some of the jobs were completed
0:07:37 > 0:07:41but I don't feel that he did everything that he should've done.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45The sockets are still hanging off the wall, they're still not in line.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50'Liz's certificate wasn't worth the paper it was written on.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55'If you're getting electrical work done, or need a certificate, take a tip from me...
0:08:22 > 0:08:26'When he took away his certificate, this cowboy covered his tracks.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30'Liz had no proof the installation was safe.'
0:08:30 > 0:08:35OK, as you can see, the sockets, instead of being even, they're at different heights
0:08:35 > 0:08:38and over time, they became loose.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41The socket should've been about this level.
0:08:41 > 0:08:46Instead it's quite higher up and tucked underneath the dresser unit.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50I was advised to move the dresser higher up,
0:08:50 > 0:08:54which you can't do cos there's no more room for it to go up any higher.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58This is the main socket as you walk in through the front door.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01This is the first light you put on at night when it's dark.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03It's quite loose and falling off the wall.
0:09:04 > 0:09:10'With her home left in this dangerous state, Liz had to put her fostering on hold.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13'She is very worried about safety.'
0:09:14 > 0:09:20It has a huge effect on me. It means that I can no longer pursue my career as a foster carer.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22And when my grandchildren are here,
0:09:22 > 0:09:26I have great concerns when they're plugging things in
0:09:26 > 0:09:28and putting on lights and things.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30The supposed electrician,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33if he was sat opposite me now,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36I'd suggest that he really takes up another trade
0:09:36 > 0:09:38because electrical is not his game.
0:09:38 > 0:09:43At the present time, he's not a competent man and he should not be doing electrical work.
0:09:45 > 0:09:51Liz's dream of fostering kids in a new home is on hold until she can get her electrics sorted out.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54Time for me to find out what's been going on.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57DOORBELL RINGS
0:09:58 > 0:10:02- Hiya!- Hi. Are you Liz?- Yes!- I'm Clive from Cowboy Trap. How are you?
0:10:02 > 0:10:05- Come on in.- Thank you.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10'Liz has been left at the end of her fuse with her frightful electrics.
0:10:10 > 0:10:16'I can certainly see why. I can't believe someone could leave this lovely woman in such danger.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18'So what can we do to help?'
0:10:18 > 0:10:24It's important that we know exactly what you would like us to do for you
0:10:24 > 0:10:27in that short space of time that would help you.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31The main thing for me is to get my certificate. That is a huge thing.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35- We'll make sure you get that certificate. How's that? - Sounds great.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38- OK, good. That's a deal. - Yeah. Thank you.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44'Liz's electrician had left her in a shocking state,
0:10:44 > 0:10:46'with extremely dangerous electrics.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51'When he disappeared, he took his dodgy test certificate with him.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53'We've got a big job on our hands,
0:10:53 > 0:10:56'rewiring and testing the whole property.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59'We must ensure everything is safe for Liz,
0:10:59 > 0:11:03'13-year-old Jay and any foster children.'
0:11:05 > 0:11:09Liz really needs to get these electrics sorted, if only for peace of mind.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12So it's time to bring on the good guys.
0:11:20 > 0:11:26'Coming up, our independent electrical expert has some shocking news.'
0:11:26 > 0:11:29The earth wasn't connected properly,
0:11:29 > 0:11:31and would've made this whole house unsafe.
0:11:35 > 0:11:41'Now we're heading to Bristol. The Prices' growing family meant they needed a bigger home.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44'Lindsey's a full-time mum to their four children
0:11:44 > 0:11:46'while Chris is a company director.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49'They wanted a total refurbishment,
0:11:49 > 0:11:52'turning their three-bed into a five-bedroom house.
0:11:53 > 0:11:58'These extra bedrooms upstairs would give them more living space downstairs.
0:11:58 > 0:12:04'So they decided an extension at the back and side would complete their dream family home.'
0:12:04 > 0:12:06We had a very long, thin kitchen at the time
0:12:06 > 0:12:10and we wanted to extend that to make it a lovely family kitchen
0:12:10 > 0:12:12and really just upgrade the house.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15New central heating system,
0:12:15 > 0:12:17larger family bathroom,
0:12:17 > 0:12:23and just make it a home that we wanted to spend a long time in.
0:12:24 > 0:12:30'Outside, they wanted to make the garden safe and secure for their four children,
0:12:30 > 0:12:34'Emily Rose, Louis, Jacob and Daisy May,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37'so they asked the builder to put up a new wall.'
0:12:37 > 0:12:42We spend a lot of time in the garden learning about nature
0:12:42 > 0:12:45and we have pets, we have rabbits and guinea pigs,
0:12:45 > 0:12:50so we like it to be nice, safe, enclosed and a nice place to be.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55'The Price family's garden is an extension of their home,
0:12:55 > 0:13:00'so they hoped the builder would do a first-class job inside the house and out.'
0:13:00 > 0:13:05We had conifer trees all the way along and a privet hedge
0:13:05 > 0:13:07and at the front, we had a front wall.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11We wanted the overgrown trees removed
0:13:11 > 0:13:14and we wanted a lovely wall put up all around.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19'Chris remembered a builder he knew through a mutual friend.
0:13:19 > 0:13:26'So they got him in for a quote. And then they began to do some research on his previous experience.'
0:13:26 > 0:13:29We asked about the builder.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33What kind of work does he do? Is it of a good quality?
0:13:33 > 0:13:36Everything seemed to come back pretty OK.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39And my husband then went to look at a project he'd been doing
0:13:39 > 0:13:44and, to us, we're not builders, but it looked fine.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47He seemed a nice, friendly chap
0:13:47 > 0:13:52and I fully trusted him to come in and do a great job.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56'Lindsey and Chris were won over by the friendly builder.
0:13:56 > 0:14:04'Like them, he was family orientated. In fact, his 16-year-old son would work with him on the job.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08'They spent a year working on the house, and almost became part of the family.'
0:14:08 > 0:14:12We'd start off every day with a cup of tea and a chat.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15And even on his son's 16th birthday, I baked a big cake
0:14:15 > 0:14:18and decorated the room and bought him a small gift.
0:14:18 > 0:14:23And, you know, I felt that they were almost part of our family.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26They'd spent a lot of time with us
0:14:26 > 0:14:29and our children had got to know them
0:14:29 > 0:14:32and I was sure we'd get a great job because of this.
0:14:33 > 0:14:39'Lindsey and Chris made the mistake of becoming too close to their builder. So take a tip from me...
0:14:41 > 0:14:44'Time is money, and if you spend time chatting,
0:14:44 > 0:14:46'it's your money, not theirs.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52'..regardless of whether you're friends or bake them cakes.
0:14:52 > 0:14:58'Lindsey and Chris were happy with the work both inside and out. Until the builder finished.
0:14:58 > 0:15:03'Suddenly, their new garden wall frightened the life out of Lindsey.'
0:15:03 > 0:15:08One day, it was a little bit windy and we were out feeding the guinea pig and the rabbit
0:15:08 > 0:15:12and the next thing, we heard a slight cracking of wood
0:15:12 > 0:15:16and the pillars just came and it was one pillar and then another pillar
0:15:16 > 0:15:21and it was terrifying. I mean, I had my little daughter with me,
0:15:21 > 0:15:23who at the time was only one,
0:15:23 > 0:15:29and the weight of those pillars is shocking, you can't even lift them.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31And it was terrifying.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36'Lindsey and her daughter had a lucky escape.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40'The post and fence panels completely collapsed.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42'They were left with a big pile of debris.
0:15:42 > 0:15:47'Lindsey's friend, Tuarita, is godmother to one of her children
0:15:47 > 0:15:50'and couldn't believe how close they came to tragedy.'
0:15:50 > 0:15:55You know, you just think, are the children going to be...
0:15:55 > 0:15:58Is it going to collapse on them when they're playing outside?
0:15:58 > 0:16:01Cos they're always out in the garden, especially if it's nice.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06You could go out one day and find a heap of rubble with one of the children underneath it.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10'The cracks began to show in this builder's shoddy workmanship
0:16:10 > 0:16:13'inside the house, as well.'
0:16:13 > 0:16:17It was pretty bad. We had leaks coming through the kitchen ceiling,
0:16:17 > 0:16:22our bathroom was leaking, by then, the bathroom tiles had been laid but they'd started cracking.
0:16:22 > 0:16:30And generally, I was starting to feel quite sad about the whole thing.
0:16:30 > 0:16:37'Lindsey and Chris paid their bill, £67,000 for their new extension and garden wall.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41'They withheld the last payment of £6,000 to fix the snags.
0:16:41 > 0:16:46'Inside, their new extension is blighted with leaks and cracks.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49'Outside, the garden wall is dangerous.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52'Lindsey got straight onto the builder.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56'He said there was nothing wrong. But then he agreed to come back.'
0:16:57 > 0:17:03He did fix the wall. Exactly the same, he did it within about two and a half hours,
0:17:03 > 0:17:06rebuilt the pillars, put the fencing back
0:17:06 > 0:17:09and the wall was back up.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13'Lindsey and Chris live in fear every time the wind blows.
0:17:13 > 0:17:19'If they allow the children outside to play, the wall may blow down on top of them.'
0:17:19 > 0:17:22I did raise concern with him, then, that I was worried
0:17:22 > 0:17:25that the same thing may happen to the rest of the wall.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27He assured me it was completely safe
0:17:27 > 0:17:29and that I had no reason to worry.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35So I had to take his word for the fact that it's safe.
0:17:37 > 0:17:42'Their worries don't stop outside. Inside, the snagging list is long.'
0:17:42 > 0:17:48We were left with no upstairs banister or stairs with four young children over the weekend.
0:17:48 > 0:17:53One of our young children sleepwalks, so it was terrifying.
0:17:53 > 0:18:01The bath leaks. We have... a saucepan full of murky water
0:18:01 > 0:18:06coming from the waste pipe, which we have to empty every few days.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09'But it's their garden wall that worries them most
0:18:09 > 0:18:12'because they fear for their children's safety.'
0:18:12 > 0:18:18We heard a slight cracking noise, which was obviously the wooden panelling cracking,
0:18:18 > 0:18:21and the wall actually came down.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23The hutch, at the time, was situated here,
0:18:23 > 0:18:26so it missed us by only a couple of feet.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28It was very close indeed.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32Since, the builder has come back and rebuilt it,
0:18:32 > 0:18:36but it's still very worrying, whether it will happen again or not.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39Is it safe for the children to be out here?
0:18:39 > 0:18:43'The constant worry led Lindsey and Chris to call in a building inspector.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46'He confirmed their worst fears
0:18:46 > 0:18:50'and told them the wall must come down because it was too dangerous.'
0:18:50 > 0:18:53It was the same as this.
0:18:53 > 0:18:58And you could actually push it and wobble it. It was horrific.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02The building inspector sent out a letter
0:19:02 > 0:19:04saying that it was a dangerous structure.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08'The couple are living with the disappointment of the snags inside.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11'But they can't live with the danger outside.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15'This nightmare has been going on for over a year now.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18'It's really been taking its toll on Lindsey.'
0:19:18 > 0:19:21I think it's been a big strain on her
0:19:21 > 0:19:25and Lindsey has changed quite a bit.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29Constant strain of worrying when it's going to be built,
0:19:29 > 0:19:33the worry of all the children, their safety and everything,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36and she has changed. She's quieter than she used to be.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40All that Lindsey and Chris wanted was an extension to their home
0:19:40 > 0:19:43to accommodate their ever-growing family.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46But all they were left with was one big mess.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48KNOCK AT DOOR
0:19:49 > 0:19:54- Hello!- Hello! Is that Lindsey?- It is. - Hi, I'm Clive from Cowboy Trap.
0:19:54 > 0:19:55- Come on in.- Thank you.
0:19:55 > 0:20:01'I can't believe this cowboy has left Lindsey and her family in such a dangerous situation.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05'I want to find out how we can help them make their homes safe again.'
0:20:05 > 0:20:12What could we do for you that would make you smile?
0:20:12 > 0:20:17- Replace our dangerous garden wall would be the most... - Priority number one.
0:20:17 > 0:20:23- What we will do is, we'll get the good guys in and sort that wall out. - That's very kind.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25This builder left the garden unsafe,
0:20:25 > 0:20:29particularly when you consider there are young children around.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31It's time to put things right and get the good guys in.
0:20:40 > 0:20:46'Coming up, our independent surveyor delivers his expert verdict on their bodged boundary.'
0:20:46 > 0:20:49It isn't even poor workmanship, it's dangerous.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56'We're travelling south now to Bournemouth.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59'Foster carer Liz Cutler wanted to make her new home safe
0:20:59 > 0:21:02'so she could continue her fostering.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06'After paying £1,600 to have her electrics sorted out,
0:21:06 > 0:21:11'she was left with sockets hanging off the wall and lethal wiring.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14'The good guys are raring to get started, but before they do,
0:21:14 > 0:21:20'I want to get a score for the standard of work from independent electrical expert Tony Cable.'
0:21:20 > 0:21:23I was very concerned when I looked at the main earth there
0:21:23 > 0:21:26and it didn't look like it was connected
0:21:26 > 0:21:30and when I attached it, it actually came off. If you lose the main earth,
0:21:30 > 0:21:34that could've been very dangerous, with someone getting a shock or burnt.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38At the consumer unit, the fuse board, there's holes in the top.
0:21:38 > 0:21:44The regulations state they shouldn't be any more than one millimetre. I could get my finger in there.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47That isn't the way a professional electrician would do it.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51If you look at the sockets in the kitchen, there's no two the same height
0:21:51 > 0:21:53and they're not very straight, either.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56I think, being generous, one or two.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00But no more than that, cos I think this house was left in a dangerous condition.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03'Two out of ten maximum?
0:22:03 > 0:22:07'Liz and all her extended family could've been electrocuted.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10'Luckily, our good guys are ready and waiting to help Liz
0:22:10 > 0:22:13'continue her dreams of being a foster mum.
0:22:13 > 0:22:19'They'll be rewiring the bodge job and moving Liz's sockets so that she can actually use them.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23'Troy is leading our team today. So what's the plan of action?'
0:22:23 > 0:22:27What we're going to do first is a periodic test and inspect.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29So we basically go round the house
0:22:29 > 0:22:33and have a look at the whole electrical installation, taking off fronts.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36Then after we've done a visual, we do a test with the meters.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39- OK.- And we need to put the sockets at the right heights,
0:22:39 > 0:22:43- so we need to try and move them into those zones.- OK.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46And also take down every fitting, every socket,
0:22:46 > 0:22:49and redo the connections and check behind.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53Basically, just go over all the connections again.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57Roughly, tell me how long you think it's going to take you to do.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59It's going to be about a day and a half's work.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03So at the end of two days, we should have it all finished.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07- And you'll be able to hand over a certificate at the end of that. - Yeah.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11The certificate will come from... The periodic test report we'll do,
0:23:11 > 0:23:15that brings up what work, if any, needs doing.
0:23:15 > 0:23:22Then any work I undertake myself I will issue a test certificate for, an installation certificate.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24- I'll let you carry on.- OK.
0:23:26 > 0:23:32'While Tory gets started, I want to find out what Liz knew about the electrician she originally hired.'
0:23:32 > 0:23:34Did he say how long it was going to take?
0:23:34 > 0:23:40- No.- OK.- There was no timescale of what it was going to take to get the job done.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44Because I wasn't living here, I did leave him with a key,
0:23:44 > 0:23:48so he could come and do whatever he liked and get on with the job and get finished
0:23:48 > 0:23:52- so I could hurry up and move in. - Looking back on that,
0:23:52 > 0:23:56would you now think that was a wise move, to give him a key?
0:23:56 > 0:23:58Did you know him personally?
0:23:58 > 0:24:03No, I didn't know him. But there was really nothing here
0:24:03 > 0:24:07of value as such for anything to go wrong.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11Never leave a stranger with a key. That's like me knocking on the door
0:24:11 > 0:24:15and saying, "When you're out at work, do you mind me having the key?"
0:24:15 > 0:24:18- True.- So it's important to realise,
0:24:18 > 0:24:22unless it's the absolute last resort,
0:24:22 > 0:24:27- don't leave them in the property on their own. They can easily have a key cut.- Mm.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30'Liz was lucky. But take a tip from me...
0:24:34 > 0:24:37'If you absolutely can't stay with your builder...
0:24:40 > 0:24:42'And if you do leave your home unattended...
0:24:44 > 0:24:47'..as they could be damaged or even stolen.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50'It could've been a lot worse for Liz.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52'But by no means has she got off lightly.'
0:24:53 > 0:24:57What kind of electrician leaves a house in a dangerous condition?
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Time this cowboy gave us some answers.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04'Liz hasn't managed to get hold of her electrician
0:25:04 > 0:25:07'since he left with her electrical certificate.'
0:25:07 > 0:25:11So, what questions would you like to ask him?
0:25:11 > 0:25:19I would like to ask him how he could be brazen to come into the house posing as an electrician,
0:25:19 > 0:25:21a qualified electrician.
0:25:21 > 0:25:26How he could say that he could give me the certificate I needed
0:25:26 > 0:25:29and then to leave us all in danger.
0:25:29 > 0:25:36- OK. I'm going to give you, right now, an opportunity to speak to your electrician.- Yeah.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40- Here we go. Just hold that out in front of you.- OK.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43- PHONE RINGS - Here we go. It's ringing.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49Hi, it's Liz. I wonder if you could call me back on this number, please?
0:25:49 > 0:25:52There are some questions I would like answering. Thank you.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Answerphone! The thing is,
0:25:57 > 0:26:01they know that we're on their case and therefore they go to ground
0:26:01 > 0:26:07and you never get them answering, which is a real pain. It might just prick his conscience
0:26:07 > 0:26:11and he might phone you back, but we'll just sit tight, wait and see.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15'I've got a message for cowardly cowboys everywhere.'
0:26:15 > 0:26:18You know who you are and now we know who you are.
0:26:18 > 0:26:24And by revealing your cowboy tricks, we'll prevent others from falling into your trap.
0:26:24 > 0:26:29'Coming up, I hope Liz is going to be ecstatic about her new electrics.'
0:26:29 > 0:26:31Oh, thank you so much!
0:26:34 > 0:26:38'Back in Bristol, we're helping Lindsey and Chris Price
0:26:38 > 0:26:40'make their home safe for their four children.
0:26:40 > 0:26:47'They paid £67,000 for a side and rear extension to accommodate their growing family.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51'But they were left with a long list of snags inside.
0:26:51 > 0:26:56'Outside, they wanted to make the garden secure for the children to play in.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59'But the wall their builder put up has already fallen down
0:26:59 > 0:27:02'and been rebuilt once before.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04'The good guys are standing by to make it safe,
0:27:04 > 0:27:08'but first, I want independent chartered surveyor John Martin
0:27:08 > 0:27:10'to check it over.'
0:27:10 > 0:27:13The wall moves. When you push it,
0:27:13 > 0:27:17and I'm not pushing it very hard, it rocks.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20And you've only got to get a strong wind
0:27:20 > 0:27:24and it will fall over, because all of these panels
0:27:24 > 0:27:25act like sails
0:27:25 > 0:27:28and if you get the wind in the wrong direction,
0:27:28 > 0:27:30it will just blow it all over.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34You just wouldn't build a wall this tall in this construction.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37You would probably build it to a maximum of that height.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40The pillars should be taken down, all of them,
0:27:40 > 0:27:44even the two that are vertical, and start again.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48I would give the builder's wall nought out of ten.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50Because it is dangerous.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53It isn't even poor workmanship, it's dangerous.
0:27:54 > 0:27:59Zero out of ten. It's time this builder chose another occupation.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02'Jason and his team are ready to get started
0:28:02 > 0:28:07'so let's find out how they're going to make life safer again for the Prices.'
0:28:07 > 0:28:11Jason, this wall's a bit of a mess to say the least. What are the main problems?
0:28:11 > 0:28:15The problems lay in the block work. It's too heavy, the wall's too heavy.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19There's nothing there to support it. Literally, it can be pushed over.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23So, in real terms, what is your plan? What are you going to do with it?
0:28:23 > 0:28:26We're going to take it down block by block, piece by piece,
0:28:26 > 0:28:29all the way along, take out all the bad work
0:28:29 > 0:28:33and basically build a new fence all the way along again.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35How long do you think that will take you?
0:28:35 > 0:28:39Weather permitting, it's a lovely day, at least two days.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43- Excellent. It's great to have the good guys in. Thank you, Jason. - You're welcome.
0:28:43 > 0:28:47'Lindsey and Chris have been living in fear for their kids' safety
0:28:47 > 0:28:50'for over 18 months now.
0:28:50 > 0:28:56'I want to find out how extending their family home put them in such danger.'
0:28:56 > 0:28:59How did we go about finding a builder?
0:28:59 > 0:29:01Well, we knew him through mutual friends.
0:29:01 > 0:29:06- OK.- I'd been to have a look at some work that he did some years back
0:29:06 > 0:29:08and he came highly recommended.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12Just remind me of what that work was that you looked at.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15- I think it was a patio.- OK. - We have a very good friend
0:29:15 > 0:29:18who said, "Use this chap, he's very good."
0:29:18 > 0:29:21He may be good at laying patio slabs
0:29:21 > 0:29:25but not necessarily the best at laying bricks.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27- Absolutely. - Everybody has got strengths.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31Bricklayers, plasterers, plumbers, electricians, gas fitters.
0:29:31 > 0:29:35So did it not cross your mind at all that you hadn't seen any work
0:29:35 > 0:29:38where he'd actually laid bricks and done and extension?
0:29:38 > 0:29:42He assured us that he had a team of builders that were proficient.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45- He thought the job was manageable. - Yeah.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49And, quite frankly, that rapport that we had with him at the time
0:29:49 > 0:29:51was a good reason to choose him.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55I know people who won't take somebody on who isn't a brilliant talker.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58I'm not bothered if they're not brilliant talkers.
0:29:58 > 0:30:02If they do the work properly and I've seen their work, I'm not bothered if they don't talk.
0:30:04 > 0:30:09'Lindsey and Chris thought going to look at a patio their builder had done was good enough research.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11'But take a tip from me...
0:30:17 > 0:30:21'..to check their standard of work
0:30:21 > 0:30:23'The Prices' builder took on this ambitious job
0:30:23 > 0:30:26'without bringing in skilled experts.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28'18 months after he finished the job,
0:30:28 > 0:30:30'they've still got a long list of snags.'
0:30:30 > 0:30:34It's high time this builder accounted for his actions.
0:30:34 > 0:30:38So we're going to call him and find out exactly what he's got to say for himself.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40- We've got a telephone number for him.- Yep.
0:30:40 > 0:30:45Let's give him a call. All you've got to do is put it on loud speaker. Let's go.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50- PHONE RINGS - It's ringing.- It's ringing.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57'Our luck's in. He answers the phone.'
0:30:57 > 0:31:00Listen, can I ask you a few questions?
0:31:00 > 0:31:06Because we're now at a stage where, you know, we're pretty keen to get all this sorted.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08You know, the wall is still pretty damn wobbly.
0:31:08 > 0:31:13'The builder tries to reassure Chris that there was nothing wrong with the wall
0:31:13 > 0:31:15'and it wouldn't fall down again.'
0:31:15 > 0:31:20But, as I look around it, and as independent surveyors have looked around it,
0:31:20 > 0:31:27and looked around the work, first of all, the wall outside was a disgrace for it to fall over.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30And you were saying it was wind damage.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34Well, the wall next to it that had been up for some time managed to survive and yours didn't.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37And you've got to bear in mind, there's kids around.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40'The builder says that he's never refused to come back
0:31:40 > 0:31:45'and that he will come back to fix their outstanding problems inside their house.'
0:31:45 > 0:31:48So, we need to make a list of everything.
0:31:48 > 0:31:50You've already got that list.
0:31:50 > 0:31:55And I think he should then be offered the chance
0:31:55 > 0:32:01- to put it right and complete it to your satisfaction.- Sure.
0:32:01 > 0:32:07OK? So, it's up to you now. Make that contact and let's get this all sorted.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11- Sounds good to me.- Good. - It's a plan.- That's a plan.
0:32:12 > 0:32:16'The Prices have decided not to take the builder up on his offer
0:32:16 > 0:32:21'and have opted to hire someone else to fix their outstanding problems.
0:32:22 > 0:32:26'Coming up, I can't wait to see the look on Lindsey and Chris's faces
0:32:26 > 0:32:29'when they see their safe new wall.'
0:32:29 > 0:32:31Ah! Now that's a wall!
0:32:34 > 0:32:37'We're travelling back to Bournemouth now.
0:32:37 > 0:32:42'Liz Cutler has a 13-year-old son of her own and she's a foster mum.
0:32:42 > 0:32:46'When she moved house, she needed the new property rewired
0:32:46 > 0:32:48'to make it safe for foster kids.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52'She paid an electrician £1,600,
0:32:52 > 0:32:56'but he left, taking the safety certificate with him.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58'Now she's worried.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00'Our good guys are on the case now
0:33:00 > 0:33:05'and I want to know if Troy has found anything wrong.'
0:33:05 > 0:33:07Here he is. Problems, Troy?
0:33:07 > 0:33:10Er, yeah, quite a few.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14- Like?- Well, the main one, really, is the earthing.
0:33:14 > 0:33:20- It's the first one we came across. The earth cable's come off. It wasn't screwed up properly.- OK.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22So what have you got left to do now?
0:33:22 > 0:33:25- We're going to test all the new works we've done.- OK.
0:33:25 > 0:33:29Issue test sheets and then, at some point,
0:33:29 > 0:33:33- we'll get that registered with Building Control. - Well played. I'll let you carry on.
0:33:33 > 0:33:38'While Troy and the boys crack on, I want to find out from Liz
0:33:38 > 0:33:41'when alarm bells started ringing about her electrician.'
0:33:41 > 0:33:46Take me to the time when you now realised,
0:33:46 > 0:33:49the day has dawned,
0:33:49 > 0:33:54that this guy wasn't for real and you're £1,600 light.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57I phoned Trading Standards first of all
0:33:57 > 0:34:02and they were able to tell me a list of companies, governing bodies,
0:34:02 > 0:34:05to contact to see if he's registered with any of them.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08I phoned the governing bodies and they did a sweep
0:34:08 > 0:34:10and they couldn't find him.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14The other phone call I had to make then was to the council
0:34:14 > 0:34:17- to check if there was a Part P, is it?- Yes, Part P certificate. Yes.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21The council checked and there was nothing.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24- So he wasn't registered as Part P. - No, there was nothing there at all.
0:34:24 > 0:34:28- OK.- Again, I contacted him
0:34:28 > 0:34:32and I said about the works that needed doing,
0:34:32 > 0:34:37finishing off, and again he said he would come back and do it
0:34:37 > 0:34:40and he's got somebody to sign the work off for me.
0:34:40 > 0:34:44So he said that. He's got somebody. Now, all of a sudden,
0:34:44 > 0:34:47he's got somebody that can sign the work off for him.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52You'd turn round and go, "How come, because you've already signed the work off for me
0:34:52 > 0:34:55"and you were qualified." Did you say that?
0:34:55 > 0:35:00Yeah, I did say to him, "Why is it that you could sign it off?"
0:35:00 > 0:35:03and he still insisted that he could do.
0:35:03 > 0:35:08He still could do this. But he said he has got a friend that's been in the trade longer
0:35:08 > 0:35:10and he's going to be able to sign it off.
0:35:10 > 0:35:14No qualified electrician is going to come in
0:35:14 > 0:35:17and sign off anybody else's work at all.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21They need to have hands on and to be able to check and test
0:35:21 > 0:35:27the whole system. Because it then falls upon them if there's any future problems.
0:35:27 > 0:35:31I've come across this story time and time again and, by the sound of it,
0:35:31 > 0:35:34I wouldn't have even wanted this guy to put a battery in my torch,
0:35:34 > 0:35:36let alone do my electrical work.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42'Liz has really had a shock with this cowboy. I hope we can restore her trust.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45'Troy and his team have been busy
0:35:45 > 0:35:49'fixing the sockets and sorting out that dodgy wiring once and for all.'
0:35:49 > 0:35:51SMOKE ALARM BEEPS
0:35:51 > 0:35:54'By bringing in the good guys, we've made her home safe
0:35:54 > 0:35:57'so she can become a foster mum again.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00'I can't wait to show her exactly what they've done.'
0:36:00 > 0:36:03The first thing you will notice is all your sockets now,
0:36:03 > 0:36:07along with your new tiling and your new splashback,
0:36:07 > 0:36:09- are all now in line.- Yep.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12Your fuse board has now been made safe.
0:36:12 > 0:36:17Real critical for us was that your earth bonding,
0:36:17 > 0:36:20that was loose before, and in places wasn't fastened,
0:36:20 > 0:36:23has actually been secured and done correctly now.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26So all that is done.
0:36:26 > 0:36:30And, of course, your smoke alarms have all been fitted correctly, too.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34He's also done a test of all the electrical work that he's covered
0:36:34 > 0:36:38- and everything is hunky-dory. - Lovely.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43'Liz's electrician left her and her 13-year-old son Jay
0:36:43 > 0:36:45'with potentially dangerous wiring.
0:36:45 > 0:36:49'The switches and sockets were wonky, the main earth wire was loose
0:36:49 > 0:36:53'and she had no certificate to show the work was safe,
0:36:53 > 0:36:57'so the council couldn't allow foster kids in her home.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01'We've tested the whole electrical system and rectified all the faults.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04'Now it's safe as houses.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07'The entire installation meets the regulations,
0:37:07 > 0:37:11'complete with light fittings suitable for use in the bathroom.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14'We've also tested all the smoke and fire alarms
0:37:14 > 0:37:18'which Liz needs to keep her home safe.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22'Liz can now have the peace of mind she so desperately needs.
0:37:22 > 0:37:27'But I want to make sure she won't be falling for any more cowboy tricks again.'
0:37:27 > 0:37:33Just tell me what you've learned from having a cowboy electrician in your property.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37What would you do next time when you need to get an electrician
0:37:37 > 0:37:39or any tradesperson?
0:37:39 > 0:37:41One, I'd check the paperwork.
0:37:41 > 0:37:46- Two, clarify that they are actually registered.- That is so important.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50'The best news of all is that Troy can now issue Liz
0:37:50 > 0:37:53'with the certificate she needs for reassurance
0:37:53 > 0:37:57'and to prove to the council her home is safe for her to take in foster children.'
0:37:57 > 0:38:01- Now, I've got some great news for you.- Yeah?
0:38:01 > 0:38:04Yeah. Because in my big dabs,
0:38:04 > 0:38:08I have your periodic inspection report
0:38:08 > 0:38:12and electrical installation test certificate
0:38:12 > 0:38:15all there for you. That is now yours.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17Oh, thank you so much!
0:38:17 > 0:38:21So that is now massive peace of mind.
0:38:21 > 0:38:26It really is, yeah. At least we'll sleep at night knowing we're safe.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29So how does it make you feel? Do you feel brilliant about that?
0:38:29 > 0:38:35- Fantastic. Thank you. That's what's important.- That's the critical thing on this occasion.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39- Lovely. Thank you very much. - Nice to meet you. See you soon. Bye!
0:38:39 > 0:38:41Liz can now sleep well,
0:38:41 > 0:38:45happy in the knowledge that her electrics are safe and sound.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53'We're hoping for some more happy faces in Bristol.
0:38:53 > 0:38:57'Lindsey and Chris Price have four children
0:38:57 > 0:38:59'so they decided to have a new extension.
0:38:59 > 0:39:04'While they were at it, they asked the builder to make the garden secure.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07'Inside there are lots of problems.
0:39:07 > 0:39:11'But outside, the posts he built blew over.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14'The parents are very worried it might happen again
0:39:14 > 0:39:16'and fall on the children.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19'We're in now, making it safe.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22'I want to find out how they're getting on.'
0:39:22 > 0:39:25Just explain what you've done and if you've hit any snags.
0:39:25 > 0:39:29- We've taken the wall down. - Yep.- It came down very easily.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32- Surprise, surprise. - No surprises there.
0:39:32 > 0:39:37We've put a new fence up, bolted on these posts.
0:39:37 > 0:39:43The fence is going to be nice and strong and it's not going to suffer in the wind or fall on the kids.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46So how long is it going to take you before you complete?
0:39:46 > 0:39:49- A couple of hours.- Fantastic. I can't wait to show them.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53'Well, our good guys certainly don't beat about the bush.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56'We've removed the dangerous block posts
0:39:56 > 0:40:00'and erected a safe and secure boundary for the garden.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04'I wonder what Lindsey and Chris have learned from this experience.'
0:40:04 > 0:40:09I want to know what you've learned from having a cowboy builder on your property.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12Don't get too friendly with your builders.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14- Aww! - And try to keep it professional.
0:40:14 > 0:40:18- Don't get too friendly. What about you, Chris?- Three things.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21- Check references.- Good lad. - Check work.- Yep.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24- And don't part with your money before they've finished.- See?
0:40:24 > 0:40:27- How's that? - I'm liking all four of them.
0:40:27 > 0:40:32They're great. OK, now, before we go and take a look outside,
0:40:32 > 0:40:35just remind me what it was like before we arrived.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39It was wobbly.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41It was dangerous.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44So what are you hoping for?
0:40:44 > 0:40:50A lovely, safe structure to keep the children safe while they're playing.
0:40:50 > 0:40:56- And sturdy.- Yes. Sturdy, safe, bit of privacy.- Absolutely.
0:40:56 > 0:41:02- Let's go check it out. Are you excited?- I am.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04Come and have a look.
0:41:05 > 0:41:09Ah! Now that's a wall!
0:41:09 > 0:41:13- Now, that looks the business, doesn't it?- That's a wall, Lindsey.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15It's beautiful.
0:41:15 > 0:41:19That keeps you nice and private but it keeps you nice and safe,
0:41:19 > 0:41:22particularly where the children are concerned. So are you happy?
0:41:22 > 0:41:25- Certainly.- Very much. Thank you.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29'Lindsey and Chris wanted to make their garden secure
0:41:29 > 0:41:32'so their four children could play outside safely.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35'But when the block supports their builder erected blew over,
0:41:35 > 0:41:39'they were left living in fear it could happen again.
0:41:39 > 0:41:44'We've removed all the wobbly block work and replaced the entire garden boundary
0:41:44 > 0:41:47'with a sturdy and strong stretch of fence.
0:41:47 > 0:41:52'Lindsey and Chris can rest assured that no ill wind will bring the thing down.
0:41:52 > 0:41:58'Finally, there's a safe boundary to protect the children from the outside world.'
0:41:59 > 0:42:05Is it worth a cheer? Yeah? You ready? After three. One, two, three.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07THEY CHEER
0:42:07 > 0:42:09- Yeah!- Yeah!
0:42:09 > 0:42:12It's been an absolute pleasure to meet you guys.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15And good luck with the future
0:42:15 > 0:42:20- and good luck with your lovely space here in the garden and your secure fence.- Thank you.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22- Lovely to see you. - Thank you.- And you.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26- Take care. Thank you very much. - Kids, nice to meet you.
0:42:26 > 0:42:30Check out the garden, it goes way down there. Go and have a look.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33Well, I think we've made the family very happy
0:42:33 > 0:42:38and I hope they'll enjoy the garden for many years to come and in safety.
0:42:38 > 0:42:43But remember, if you're not happy with the work your builder's doing, don't hand over your cash!
0:42:43 > 0:42:46That way, you won't go falling in the cowboy trap.
0:42:50 > 0:42:55Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd