0:00:08 > 0:00:11We're travelling all over the UK to meet the homeowners
0:00:11 > 0:00:13forced to live with the grim consequences
0:00:13 > 0:00:15of employing a cowboy builder.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17There's just so much wrong in here.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20There's door handles banging, there's things not been sealed,
0:00:20 > 0:00:22there's things lifting off.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25It's just a complete and utter shambles.
0:00:25 > 0:00:29With their shoddy workmanship or downright lies,
0:00:29 > 0:00:31cowboy builders are unscrupulous villains
0:00:31 > 0:00:34who not only destroy dreams, they wreck lives too.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36What would you say to this cowboy builder
0:00:36 > 0:00:38if you were to see him on the street?
0:00:38 > 0:00:40I would walk away.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43I don't ever want to see him in my life again.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45We've got the good guys in our posse
0:00:45 > 0:00:48to help turn these houses from hell into heavenly homes.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Wow! A finished kitchen.
0:00:51 > 0:00:52It's all wired up, it's all ready to go,
0:00:52 > 0:00:54and it looks fantastic, doesn't it?
0:00:54 > 0:00:58This is...I'm sure this is exactly what Kirstine had in mind.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00It's lovely. It's really nice, isn't it?
0:01:00 > 0:01:02Yeah, absolutely delighted. What a difference.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Well, it works, it fits, it's finished.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08You know, it's thought cowboy builders cost Britons
0:01:08 > 0:01:11over £700 million each year.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14So if you think you know how to spot one, think again.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17Make no mistake, the next 45 minutes
0:01:17 > 0:01:20could help keep you out of the Cowboy Trap.
0:01:30 > 0:01:31On today's Cowboy Trap,
0:01:31 > 0:01:34a single mum whose dream kitchen conversion
0:01:34 > 0:01:37turned into a nightmare bodge, when the builder she employed
0:01:37 > 0:01:41went on holiday, leaving unskilled labourers to do the work.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44The room depresses me now.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47I have been stressed. SO stressed.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50I have sat and cried in here.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52It has affected us greatly.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55And three years after we help them out of the Cowboy Trap,
0:01:55 > 0:01:58we catch up with a family in Leamington Spa
0:01:58 > 0:02:00to find out what's happened since.
0:02:00 > 0:02:05He's the first and the only builder in the country
0:02:05 > 0:02:06to be issued ASBO.
0:02:06 > 0:02:11- So he's the first ever builder in the UK to have an ASBO?- Yes.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15Our first Cowboy Trap location is in Aberdeen,
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Scotland's third biggest city.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19Historically, the fishing, shipbuilding,
0:02:19 > 0:02:22and paper industries have strong links here.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25But since the discovery of North Sea oil in the 1970s,
0:02:25 > 0:02:30it's been dubbed the energy capital of Europe. Pretty grand, eh?
0:02:30 > 0:02:32Aberdeen is known as the city of bon accord,
0:02:32 > 0:02:34or friendship and goodwill.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36But it's the city's other nickname
0:02:36 > 0:02:38that's better suited to today's Cowboy Trap,
0:02:38 > 0:02:40the Granite City,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42as we're on the trail of a cowboy builder
0:02:42 > 0:02:44who has a heart of pure stone.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48His unwitting victim lives in this three-bed semi.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51It's home to Kirstine Yates, a divorced mum,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54and her two children, Cara and Scott.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56Kirstine first came to Aberdeen 20 years ago,
0:02:56 > 0:03:00and she liked it so much she put down roots here.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02It was very exciting.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05I thought Aberdeen was an absolutely massive city.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07Shopping was great.
0:03:07 > 0:03:13I then went on to start a family and I class Aberdeen as home now.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16These days, Kirstine enjoys a successful career
0:03:16 > 0:03:18as a secretary for an oil company.
0:03:18 > 0:03:19But home is where her heart is,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22and one of her biggest pleasures in life
0:03:22 > 0:03:24is cooking for her family and friends.
0:03:24 > 0:03:29The kitchen area for my family is very important.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33It does act as a hub when it comes to socialising.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36Friends - not only my friends, my children's friends -
0:03:36 > 0:03:37coming round to visit.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42And it was Kirstine's love of entertaining in her home
0:03:42 > 0:03:44that led her to draw up a wish list of improvements.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48For some time, Kirstine had felt that the layout of her home
0:03:48 > 0:03:51didn't really work for the family, so when her mum passed away,
0:03:51 > 0:03:55she decided to spend her small inheritance on improving her house.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57Stage one was making the kitchen open plan
0:03:57 > 0:03:59by knocking through a wall,
0:03:59 > 0:04:03and stage two, installing a new kitchen and decorating throughout.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05The kind of kitchen that I had planned
0:04:05 > 0:04:08was quite a modern-looking kitchen.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Obviously, the functionality of it is quite important as well,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14because I do tend to cook quite a lot, and bake quite a lot.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18When it came to finding a builder to do the work,
0:04:18 > 0:04:21Kirstine thought she knew just the man.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23She'd recently had French doors fitted,
0:04:23 > 0:04:24and was happy with the results.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28So the builder who did that job was her first port of call.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30He made quite a good job of the doors,
0:04:30 > 0:04:32so I went ahead and asked him
0:04:32 > 0:04:35to provide me with a quotation for the full works,
0:04:35 > 0:04:41and he told me that he had installed kitchens in the past
0:04:41 > 0:04:45and he would be prepared to give me a quotation for the work.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49The builder quoted £21,000 for the work,
0:04:49 > 0:04:51fitting a brand new kitchen
0:04:51 > 0:04:54and blocking up the archways between two of the rooms.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57He said it would take just two weeks to complete,
0:04:57 > 0:05:01and would take payment when the work was finished.
0:05:01 > 0:05:02Kirstine didn't get any other quotes,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05because she'd used him before and trusted him.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Not clever.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10Take a tip from me.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Just because a builder's worked for you in the past
0:05:13 > 0:05:15doesn't mean he has the skills necessary
0:05:15 > 0:05:18to take on other jobs, especially big ones.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20You wouldn't get a surgeon to fix your car,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23so do you really want a window fitter to take down your roof?
0:05:23 > 0:05:25Be sure to get quotes from other builders
0:05:25 > 0:05:29and take up proper references for anyone you plan to use.
0:05:29 > 0:05:30Or you might regret it.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Kirstine went ahead and booked the builder,
0:05:35 > 0:05:37who agreed to hold off work for a few months
0:05:37 > 0:05:41until the October half-term, when the family were going on holiday.
0:05:41 > 0:05:42It all seemed sorted,
0:05:42 > 0:05:46but from here on in, nothing would be straightforward.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48As the weeks passed and October grew closer,
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Kirstine began to have second thoughts about the builder.
0:05:51 > 0:05:52He was a bit...how shall I say?
0:05:52 > 0:05:56..FRIENDLY. He kept making excuses to come round for meetings
0:05:56 > 0:05:59and started sending her text messages that were...
0:05:59 > 0:06:00well, inappropriate.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04I was out at a function and he sent me a text message
0:06:04 > 0:06:08intimating that he wanted a naked picture of me,
0:06:08 > 0:06:12which I kind of laughed off.
0:06:12 > 0:06:13They made me quite nervous.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17But, you know, in no uncertain terms,
0:06:17 > 0:06:22was anything to happen in my eyes, in my view. Absolutely not.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27Despite her doubts, Kirstine felt she could handle her cheeky builder,
0:06:27 > 0:06:30but one week before the job was due to start,
0:06:30 > 0:06:34this shameless so-called tradesman dropped a bombshell.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36Not only did he want a stack of money up front,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39but he wouldn't even be doing the job himself.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Yep, you heard that right.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45He came round and asked me for £10,000, at which time,
0:06:45 > 0:06:49he told me that he was also going on holiday to Florida,
0:06:49 > 0:06:53which I didn't realise until that time.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57But he assured me that the workmen that he was getting into my house,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00I had no need to worry about anything,
0:07:00 > 0:07:02there was nothing to worry about.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06Incredibly, Kirstine went along with it.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10No prizes for guessing that when she returned from her holiday,
0:07:10 > 0:07:12she was in for a nasty shock.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15I came back to a building site.
0:07:15 > 0:07:20I had no heating in the whole house, bearing in mind it was -6 degrees.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22I had no lighting in the kitchen,
0:07:22 > 0:07:24I had no washing facilities,
0:07:24 > 0:07:27I had no cooking facilities. I had nothing.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31Kirstine didn't sleep a wink that night.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Her children were due home the following morning.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38Me, as a mother, I have a duty of care to my children.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42Half the kitchen contents were up in my son's bedroom.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44The whole house was freezing.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46I just felt so let down.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Things didn't look any better in the cold light of day.
0:07:53 > 0:07:54The plastering was sloppy
0:07:54 > 0:07:57and there were holes where the doorways should have been.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59She called the builder, who put it all down to "bad luck."
0:07:59 > 0:08:01You what?!
0:08:01 > 0:08:06I really do not know what he meant by saying this was my bad luck.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08I'm not...
0:08:09 > 0:08:12..a person who has that much bad luck.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Well, whatever the builder was driving at,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19over the next few days he had a go at sorting out the mess.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22But when Kirstine got a friend round to have a look at the problems,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25things turned nasty.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27My friend was down on the floor,
0:08:27 > 0:08:31explaining to him that he had really damaged the flooring.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35He stood up and the builder started pointing in his face
0:08:35 > 0:08:37and became quite heated.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41At that point, I shouted to my daughter,
0:08:41 > 0:08:45"If this man does not leave my house, phone the police."
0:08:46 > 0:08:50And he duly departed, leaving behind a home in disarray.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52There is just so much wrong in here.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56There's door handles banging, there's things not being sealed,
0:08:56 > 0:08:58there's things lifting off.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02It's just a complete and utter shambles.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04But it didn't end there.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Despite the shambolic state he'd left her house in,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10Kirstine's cowboy wanted the rest of the money he was owed.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12He contacted his local trade association,
0:09:12 > 0:09:15who sent a surveyor round on his behalf.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19And, as a result, Kirstine was hit with a £12,000 bill,
0:09:19 > 0:09:21which she's refusing to pay.
0:09:21 > 0:09:26I have got every intention of not giving him another penny.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29I do not want him back in my house again.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31I think he's butchered it enough as it is.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35Yep, all Kirstine had to show for her £10,000
0:09:35 > 0:09:39was a botched kitchen and walls that were flimsy and unsound.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42Not only that, she was now faced with a legal battle.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45Not surprisingly, all this has had
0:09:45 > 0:09:48a profound emotional impact on the Yates family.
0:09:48 > 0:09:53Kirstine's daughter, Cara, has been particularly badly affected.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55It's been really difficult for her,
0:09:55 > 0:10:01because you know, I haven't been as calm as what I normally am,
0:10:01 > 0:10:05and it obviously has a knock-on effect on her as well.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08Sadly, a building project
0:10:08 > 0:10:11that should have improved this family's way of life
0:10:11 > 0:10:14has ended up an albatross around their neck.
0:10:14 > 0:10:19The room depresses me now, because I come in and see plasterwork,
0:10:19 > 0:10:23flooring, scratches on units.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25I have been stressed, SO stressed.
0:10:25 > 0:10:31I have sat and cried in here. It has affected us greatly.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35It is just not our family hub at this present time.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Which is what it should have been.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40What a nightmare! It just goes to show
0:10:40 > 0:10:42the kind of mess you can get yourself into
0:10:42 > 0:10:45if you fail to check out your builder properly.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48In Kirstine's case, not only is her house a dog's dinner,
0:10:48 > 0:10:51but she's got all the stress of a possible legal battle too.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57But the million-dollar question is, how much of a dog's dinner?
0:10:57 > 0:10:59It's often the case on Cowboy Trap that on the surface,
0:10:59 > 0:11:01things don't look too bad.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05Cowboys can be cunning when it comes to covering their tracks,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08so we asked independent building surveyor Ken Donald
0:11:08 > 0:11:09to inspect the work.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11He's been through it with a fine-tooth comb
0:11:11 > 0:11:13and is about to fill me in on what he found,
0:11:13 > 0:11:15bodge after bodge.
0:11:15 > 0:11:16I'm sure, like you,
0:11:16 > 0:11:20when I first went in, I thought, "That doesn't look too bad,"
0:11:20 > 0:11:22but as soon as you start scratching the surface,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25- everything just isn't being done properly.- No.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28There's just a whole host of minor defects.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31There's nothing there that's built as it should've been built.
0:11:31 > 0:11:36My issue here is that all this equipment is expensive.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39New cupboards, new kitchen, new hob, all this stuff's expensive.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41This has been bought, and because it's been put up wrong,
0:11:41 > 0:11:44put up badly, then you're wasting your money on this.
0:11:44 > 0:11:49Individually, the carcasses and the doors and things are fine.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53But, yes, it's been handed to a complete amateur to put together.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55It's not been set up properly, it's not been aligned,
0:11:55 > 0:11:57it's not been fixed properly.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01It's just...there's a whole litany of shortcomings.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07'And if the way the kitchen's been fitted is intrinsically flawed,
0:12:07 > 0:12:09'well, how about the floor?'
0:12:09 > 0:12:11Laminates, or wooden flooring,
0:12:11 > 0:12:12you know it needs room to expand,
0:12:12 > 0:12:15but you don't want to see that in the middle of the floor, do you?
0:12:15 > 0:12:19No, it's just a trap for moisture or dirt to accumulate,
0:12:19 > 0:12:22and if it gets wet, then the water's going to start
0:12:22 > 0:12:25separating the laminate from the base.
0:12:25 > 0:12:26The other failure with that
0:12:26 > 0:12:29is the lack of an overlap between the planks.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31The overlap should be staggered...
0:12:31 > 0:12:35- Yes.- ..to allow it to knit together as a floor.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38Again, the material's probably sound,
0:12:38 > 0:12:43but the fixing and the installation is just shoddy.
0:12:43 > 0:12:44Any monkey can buy good materials.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48It's what you do with them that makes a good kitchen, isn't it?
0:12:48 > 0:12:49Indeed. And the units are fine,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52but it's how they've been installed. It's appalling.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56'No kidding! This is no cook's dream kitchen.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58'It's a recipe for disaster.'
0:12:58 > 0:13:01The sink isn't fixed, the hob isn't fixed.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05The worktop above the oven isn't fixed either.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07That's loose, and, yes,
0:13:07 > 0:13:09the exposed metal surface underneath,
0:13:09 > 0:13:12that will be scalding hot.
0:13:12 > 0:13:13Well, that's dangerous.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work that out.
0:13:16 > 0:13:17OK, this is the edge of a worktop.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20No big deal, but this is a brand new worktop...
0:13:20 > 0:13:25Yes, and it's been left as a finished job, but it's not.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28The edge facing hasn't been cut properly.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32It's not been fixed properly, and the joiner...
0:13:32 > 0:13:35if you call him a "joiner," has walked away from it.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38'So far, so bad.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41'But third-rate joinery pales into insignificance
0:13:41 > 0:13:45'when you realise the full extent of the botched job on the archway.'
0:13:45 > 0:13:47On the other side of this are hanging kitchen cupboards
0:13:47 > 0:13:51and a n extractor. Now, is this wall up to it?
0:13:51 > 0:13:53I think they've just thrown up
0:13:53 > 0:13:56a lightweight timber partition there and skimmed over it.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59They've not fixed it back to the original walls,
0:13:59 > 0:14:01they've not tied everything together,
0:14:01 > 0:14:03because you can see movement around the infill.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06'And that's a problem that will have to be fixed pronto,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09'before it leads to any more damage to the wall.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12'No wonder Kirstine told this builder
0:14:12 > 0:14:13'to never darken her door again!
0:14:13 > 0:14:15'And speaking of doors...'
0:14:15 > 0:14:17The doorway was changed into the living room.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19The new doorway into the living room,
0:14:19 > 0:14:21just as you enter the house.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25The way that they have constructed the facings and the hinges
0:14:25 > 0:14:26just beggars belief.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28How would you mark this work out of 10, Ken?
0:14:28 > 0:14:30It's...
0:14:30 > 0:14:33it's difficult, because when you go into it first of all you think,
0:14:33 > 0:14:35"That actually looks...average,"
0:14:35 > 0:14:38and then you start going into it with a fine-tooth comb
0:14:38 > 0:14:40and you look at every little corner here and there,
0:14:40 > 0:14:43and you come away with the end result, it's just...
0:14:43 > 0:14:45There's nothing there that's satisfactory.
0:14:45 > 0:14:462 out of 10.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49- 2 out of 10?!- Yes.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51Well, Ken's certainly not pulling his punches,
0:14:51 > 0:14:55and based on what I've just seen, I've got to agree with him.
0:14:55 > 0:14:56Check out the evidence.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59The flooring material isn't durable enough for a kitchen
0:14:59 > 0:15:01and has been badly installed too.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04None of the white goods have been fitted correctly.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08Sink, tumble dryer, fridge and cooker, all wrong.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11And the kitchen units are full of defects.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13Then there's the cracking in the kitchen,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16caused by that structurally unsound wall,
0:15:16 > 0:15:18a question mark over the electrics,
0:15:18 > 0:15:20slipshod carpentry, woeful paintwork,
0:15:20 > 0:15:21and let's not forget,
0:15:21 > 0:15:25there's the threat of a lengthy legal battle in the mix too.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27In short, this would have been a right comedy of errors
0:15:27 > 0:15:29if the whole thing wasn't so bitter.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32The only hope of a happy ending, our good guys.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37And here's the man in charge, Stephen Manderson.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40So much needs doing to get Kirstine's dream back on track,
0:15:40 > 0:15:42she's chipping in.
0:15:42 > 0:15:43First things first,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46making safe that botched wall between the kitchen and lounge.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51Then fitting proper installation to leave things snug as well as secure.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53Then it's on to that kitchen,
0:15:53 > 0:15:56where the good guys need to rip it up and start again.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58From carpentry to electrics,
0:15:58 > 0:16:00there's a huge shopping list to get through
0:16:00 > 0:16:02before a redecoration can begin.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06So can the fellas right all the wrongs? Only time will tell.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15I'm in Aberdeen, where Kirstine Yates, a divorced mother of two,
0:16:15 > 0:16:18spent her inheritance on improving the family home.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22But her frisky cowboy builder left her with a total bodge
0:16:22 > 0:16:25and the stress of an ongoing legal dispute too.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27Well, our good guys have now finished their work,
0:16:27 > 0:16:29so let's see how Kirstine's getting on.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34'Kirstine was truly at the end of her tether.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36'I really hope things have taken a turn for the better.'
0:16:39 > 0:16:41- Hi, Kirstine! - Hello, Jonnie. How are you?
0:16:41 > 0:16:43I'm very well, thank you. Have the builders finished?
0:16:43 > 0:16:45They certainly have. Would you like to come in?
0:16:45 > 0:16:47I would love to. Thank you very much.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54As soon as I get inside, I can't help but have a sneaky look around.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59Instantly, I can see the transformation in the living room.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03And at last, Kirstine has the smart, stylish kitchen
0:17:03 > 0:17:04she always wished for.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06Before I took a closer look,
0:17:06 > 0:17:09I want to speak to Kirstine about one particular aspect
0:17:09 > 0:17:11of her Cowboy Trap experience.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14This so-called builder may have massively under-delivered,
0:17:14 > 0:17:19but he also overstepped the mark in more ways than one.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23What surprises me is that he's turned abusive,
0:17:23 > 0:17:27but at the start of this, he was overly friendly, wasn't he?
0:17:27 > 0:17:29Yes, certainly, yeah.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31I have a few text messages from him.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33I can't really say on camera...
0:17:33 > 0:17:35Like what? Have you got some?
0:17:35 > 0:17:37- Yes, yes.- Can I have a look?- Yes.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42What?!
0:17:42 > 0:17:45I see here you've put, like, "LOL" back at him.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47You're kind of...
0:17:47 > 0:17:49It's not that I found it funny,
0:17:49 > 0:17:51I just didn't know how to reply to it,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54and I'm not the type for confrontation.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57So I just kind of laughed it off, I suppose.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59I think most people,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01they're met with two choices here.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03The un-confrontational choice which you did,
0:18:03 > 0:18:05which was to try and laugh it off
0:18:05 > 0:18:08and hopefully it doesn't rear its head again,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11or you just say outright,
0:18:11 > 0:18:12"That's out of order."
0:18:12 > 0:18:14I can't believe he sent you that.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18Heaven knows what Kirstine's builder was thinking,
0:18:18 > 0:18:20but take a tip from me.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23If your builder makes you feel uncomfortable like this,
0:18:23 > 0:18:26it's a sure sign you're not dealing with a professional.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28A decent contractor will only be offering you
0:18:28 > 0:18:31a competitive quote and a competent job,
0:18:31 > 0:18:32not a cosy dinner for two.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37Remember, cowboy builders will try many things to gain your trust.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39Flirting could be one of them.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43And of course, if Kirstine was in any doubt
0:18:43 > 0:18:45about whether she was dealing with a cowboy,
0:18:45 > 0:18:47alarm bells definitely should have rung
0:18:47 > 0:18:50when he announced he wasn't even going to be there for the build.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52You weren't here to look after the builders
0:18:52 > 0:18:55or to make sure they were doing the right thing.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58- And the guy you employed to project manage was on holiday as well.- Yes.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01- You just had, like, four complete strangers in your house.- Yes.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04He told me not to worry about anything,
0:19:04 > 0:19:06everything would be fine when I came back.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10No problems, all the tradesmen had been down
0:19:10 > 0:19:14to have a look at the job for their particular trade.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18He told me not to worry about anything, and I believed him.
0:19:18 > 0:19:23I do think Kirstine was a bit naive about things.
0:19:23 > 0:19:24There's no doubt if she'd only called a halt
0:19:24 > 0:19:26when she had the chance,
0:19:26 > 0:19:28she wouldn't be in the mess she's in now.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30I understand there's a legal battle,
0:19:30 > 0:19:32or WAS a legal battle. What's the latest?
0:19:32 > 0:19:34It's in the hands of the solicitors at the moment.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36Who's going for who?
0:19:36 > 0:19:37He's coming for me.
0:19:37 > 0:19:38- He's coming for you?!- Yes.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43He's coming for me for his...
0:19:43 > 0:19:45the remainder of the money.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48- And you're going to fight it, I take it?- Oh, yes.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52You know, he's never accepted the fact that he's in the wrong.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56That he's, you know, he's done this, basically. This was his job.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01And there's little doubting that, whatever the whys and wherefores.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03But one thing is for sure.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06Our good guys have turned this top-to-bottom shambles
0:20:06 > 0:20:08into a feast for the eyes.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10Time for me to take a closer look.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14Wow! Finished kitchen!
0:20:14 > 0:20:17And you've got lovely new recessed lighting in here.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19Looks like low-energy bulbs.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22But then, before, you just saw bare plaster,
0:20:22 > 0:20:24which wasn't any good anyway.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26Now this is finished and nicely decorated.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28There's a splashback along here, that looks nice.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Now, these are probably new worktops,
0:20:31 > 0:20:35because before, they were already flaking, weren't they?
0:20:35 > 0:20:36And this must be a new unit,
0:20:36 > 0:20:39because you've now got a good bit of space round the fridge.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41Let's not forget this is an electrical appliance
0:20:41 > 0:20:43and it needs air circulating round it,
0:20:43 > 0:20:45because the back could get quite hot.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50Flaking worktops, poorly assembled fixtures and fittings, all sorted.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53But that wasn't the end of the story in here.
0:20:53 > 0:20:54What about that archway?
0:20:54 > 0:20:58Now, I mean, the whole reason to try and create this space
0:20:58 > 0:21:01is to get this dining kitchen, and you couldn't have it, really,
0:21:01 > 0:21:04with a big arch in the wall, which hadn't been done properly.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06But the big concern was the fact that
0:21:06 > 0:21:08the arch hadn't been done properly,
0:21:08 > 0:21:09hadn't been boxed-in or partitioned,
0:21:09 > 0:21:12but yet, there was a load on it as well.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14There was these hanging wall cupboards,
0:21:14 > 0:21:16this big hood there as well.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19You know, not an inconsiderable weight.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21But, I mean...
0:21:22 > 0:21:23oh, so it's all wired up,
0:21:23 > 0:21:27it's all ready to go, and it looks fantastic, doesn't it?
0:21:27 > 0:21:30I mean, I'm sure this is exactly what Kirstine had in mind.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35The kitchen's definitely good to go. Let's check out the living room.
0:21:37 > 0:21:38Right, OK, well...
0:21:40 > 0:21:42this is more like a doorway you'd want to come into
0:21:42 > 0:21:45when you come into your lounge. It's much wider.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48This is all brand new, isn't it? Brand new door.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51New architraving. It's completely finished.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54Looks like our good guy builders have done all the decorating!
0:21:54 > 0:21:58New skirting boards, which you can see here, actually. But here.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02Well, that's what a stud partition should sound like when you knock it,
0:22:02 > 0:22:05not hollow, so what they've done here,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08they must have taken it all back, probably ripped it all out,
0:22:08 > 0:22:11and then put the proper studding in there, proper noggins, and then
0:22:11 > 0:22:15put insulation inside there, then the plasterboard, then skimmed it.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17Yeah, much better.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21Now, over there, that's where, that's where the doorway was,
0:22:21 > 0:22:23that they had to block up.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26They've had to rip all that out again, plaster it over
0:22:26 > 0:22:31and also, as you can see, they've boxed in the unsightly pipework.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33Now, this is your front room.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35It looks like somewhere you'd want to spend time
0:22:35 > 0:22:39watching telly and what have you. They're done a cracking job here.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44What a difference! No half measures with our good guys.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47They know how to do a proper job.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51Time to meet the man that made all of this possible.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54What were your thoughts when you first saw the job that lay ahead?
0:22:54 > 0:22:56Given the timescales and given everything else,
0:22:56 > 0:22:58it was going to be a task.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01Primarily, the whole kitchen had to come out,
0:23:01 > 0:23:03there were structural defects, that had to be sorted out,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06and, obviously, we had a two to three week period.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08You say the kitchen had to come out?
0:23:08 > 0:23:10- We couldn't reuse a lot of the materials.- Oh, really?
0:23:10 > 0:23:12- When it came out.- Like what?
0:23:12 > 0:23:14The worktops were all defective, they all had to come out,
0:23:14 > 0:23:18they all had to be renewed, door handles were put in the wrong positions...
0:23:18 > 0:23:20- They're not cheap to replace either.- No.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24The door alone is about 75% of the unit and the door.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28You did the electrics as well. There was a certain element of safety
0:23:28 > 0:23:30- that you were in charge of.- Yes.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33Primarily, we make sure that the job gets put back correctly.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36- It had to be signed off by an approved electrician.- Yeah.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38There was a lot of work.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40A lot of work in the kitchen
0:23:40 > 0:23:44and that doomsday book of bodges went right through into the lounge.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47Literally. This room was a bit of a disaster, as well.
0:23:47 > 0:23:52This was a stud partition wall put up. But not put up correctly.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54Not put up correctly. It's a load-bearing wall.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58The make-up of the wall is sterling board, plywood,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01and then plasterboard on top. That hadn't been done.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03Because it was an archway, they had just framed it up
0:24:03 > 0:24:05- and plaster boarded it.- Right. - Not very well either.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09- Any insulation in there? - Absolutely none at all.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13Well, there's no doubt our good guys had their work cut out,
0:24:13 > 0:24:15but they've clearly played a blinder.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17Before we embark on the grand tour,
0:24:17 > 0:24:22I want to speak to Kirstine about her wayward cowboy builder.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25Now, we always give the cowboy builders a right to reply,
0:24:25 > 0:24:29to give us their version of events.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33But when we contacted him, he became abusive straightaway.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36- That doesn't shock me.- And then referred us to his solicitor.
0:24:36 > 0:24:42It doesn't actually surprise me that he hasn't replied to you.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44What would you say to this cowboy builder,
0:24:44 > 0:24:48if you were to see him on the street or in a safe environment?
0:24:48 > 0:24:55I would walk away. I don't ever want to see him in my life again.
0:24:55 > 0:24:56And who can blame her?
0:24:56 > 0:24:58So, it's great to know that thanks to our good guys,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01all traces of this bungling bad guy
0:25:01 > 0:25:03have been banished from Kirstine's property.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07Time to find out the difference it's made to family life.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11So, your kitchen, it's lovely. It's really nice, isn't it?
0:25:11 > 0:25:15- Yes, absolutely delighted with it.- Look at you!
0:25:15 > 0:25:18- You looked delighted, don't you? - Yes, absolutely delighted.
0:25:18 > 0:25:23- What a difference.- Well, it works. It fits, it's finished.- Exactly.
0:25:23 > 0:25:28Just everything... everything is brilliant.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30And Kirstine has every right to feel chuffed.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33It's a complete transformation everywhere you look,
0:25:33 > 0:25:36from ceiling to floor.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38And what a floor it is.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Let's face it, you want a decent floor
0:25:40 > 0:25:42because stuff gets dropped on the floor anyway,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45but this is the thoroughfare out to the garden.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48In the summer you'll have those double doors open, won't you?
0:25:48 > 0:25:49Yes, yes, definitely.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52Our good guys were asked to make this place safe, weren't they?
0:25:52 > 0:25:54- Yeah.- All your electrics are done now.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56- That must be peace of mind at least.- Yes.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00Yeah, the worktops - a complete difference in them as well,
0:26:00 > 0:26:03where they'd been cut, fitted, brilliant.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08Brilliant, indeed. Kirstine now has the kitchen of her dreams,
0:26:08 > 0:26:10a kitchen she can be proud of.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14I'm happy with everything, 100% happy with everything. Definitely.
0:26:14 > 0:26:19How do you feel about builders, per se, now you've had good and bad.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22I'm very wary, the good builders that were here...
0:26:22 > 0:26:25..very friendly, brilliant.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27But yeah, I would be very wary to...
0:26:29 > 0:26:33..have somebody in my house again that I didn't know. Definitely.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37- You've got first-hand experience of comprehensive good work, haven't you?- Yeah.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40- Yeah, yeah.- Why would you go anywhere else?- Exactly.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42On to the living room.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44At long last, what Kirstine always wanted
0:26:44 > 0:26:48and it's finally ready for her to add her finishing touches.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50So, I suppose the first place to begin with,
0:26:50 > 0:26:52that door's obviously wider now.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56Yes, plus the facings around the edge are a lot tidier looking.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59The whole reason you started this project really
0:26:59 > 0:27:01was to have a separate area.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04You weren't using your dining room, were you,
0:27:04 > 0:27:06- so you wanted a separate living area.- Yes.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08That's worked now, hasn't it, at long last.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10It certainly has now, definitely.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14I'm well pleased with what the good guys have achieved here
0:27:14 > 0:27:15in a short space of time.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19Especially with the knowledge that the walls are now safe as houses.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22How different does it feel now that archway's blocked up?
0:27:22 > 0:27:25Beforehand, I take it, the archway was blocked up,
0:27:25 > 0:27:29- but you knew it was wrong.- Uh-huh. - So that must have been upsetting.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Yes, it was quite upsetting, but now
0:27:32 > 0:27:37with it being painted and finished off, it feels different, yeah.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39What I've learned from the good guy builders,
0:27:39 > 0:27:42they didn't try and fix it, they started again.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45Does that give you more confidence in the quality of your home now?
0:27:45 > 0:27:48Definitely, 100% more confidence.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55Confidence fully restored, it's time for me to bid farewell to Kirstine.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59At last, she can concentrate on enjoying her home with her family.
0:28:01 > 0:28:07Well. What a difference in a couple of companies of builders.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11The bad guys, the cowboys, they took just over a week
0:28:11 > 0:28:13to cobble together a kitchen, to pretty much do more harm
0:28:13 > 0:28:15than good to this home.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19The same job, it took our good guys over three weeks to complete.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23But, now, at long last, we can see the difference.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25The light and shade, if you like. The good guys,
0:28:25 > 0:28:28what they've left this home looking is not only two rooms,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31a living room and a kitchen that are fit for purpose.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35A real sleek, stylish job that really sets this home apart.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40For our next Cowboy Trap saga,
0:28:40 > 0:28:44we revisit a home in Leamington Spa we first saw three years ago.
0:28:44 > 0:28:48Like Kirstine, this couple made the mistake of ignoring their instincts
0:28:48 > 0:28:54and pressing on with a builder about whom they had serious misgivings.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58Meet Sangeeta and Rohit Prabhakar and their children, Dev and Bhavini.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01The Prabhakars' dream was to create extra space in their home
0:29:01 > 0:29:05to accommodate their growing family by building an extension.
0:29:05 > 0:29:10We wanted... with the master bedroom, an ensuite
0:29:10 > 0:29:14and now we wanted a new kitchen, new bathrooms,
0:29:14 > 0:29:19so basically we were changing everything in the house.
0:29:19 > 0:29:23Sangeeta and Rohit's home also needed a new roof
0:29:23 > 0:29:26and the final item on their wish list, a landscaped garden
0:29:26 > 0:29:30with decking area, so their children would have somewhere safe to play.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33They commissioned an architect, who drew up plans.
0:29:33 > 0:29:38It cost us a good six grand to get the whole thing designed
0:29:38 > 0:29:42and we were ecstatic
0:29:42 > 0:29:47when it got through planning permission.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49With planning permission for their grand designs in place,
0:29:49 > 0:29:52now came the crucial bit for Sangeeta and Rohit -
0:29:52 > 0:29:54finding the right builder.
0:29:54 > 0:29:58And they were spoiled for choice, because they found themselves
0:29:58 > 0:30:00inundated by builders offering to do the job.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03That was because when you submit a planning application,
0:30:03 > 0:30:05it's a matter of public record
0:30:05 > 0:30:08and your local authority has to publish all the details
0:30:08 > 0:30:09for everyone to see.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12And the thing is, most good builders are busy already
0:30:12 > 0:30:14and don't need to go rooting around for work,
0:30:14 > 0:30:17so be very wary of anyone who approaches you.
0:30:17 > 0:30:21And guess what? That's exactly what happened to the Prabhakars.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25We started getting letters from lots of builders, local companies,
0:30:25 > 0:30:28companies from different parts of the country,
0:30:28 > 0:30:32saying, "You put an application for extension,
0:30:32 > 0:30:36"so we'll be more than happy to carry out work for you,"
0:30:36 > 0:30:40and we invited a few builders to have a conversation.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43Sangeeta and Rohit were impressed with one of the builders
0:30:43 > 0:30:45that came to discuss the project
0:30:45 > 0:30:48and when they did their own research, it seemed to back up
0:30:48 > 0:30:50their positive first impression.
0:30:50 > 0:30:54We checked the references, he had given us.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57Everybody recommended him and they said he's a good builder
0:30:57 > 0:31:01and he's worked for us and he's quite reliable and he's local.
0:31:01 > 0:31:05And we asked him to show us some work.
0:31:05 > 0:31:09Like, physically take us somewhere where he is working.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11So he did take us to a construction site.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14And that project seemed to be going well.
0:31:14 > 0:31:15Satisfied with their checks,
0:31:15 > 0:31:18the Prabhakars invited the builder to quote for the work.
0:31:18 > 0:31:22He came up with a figure of £49,500,
0:31:22 > 0:31:24including materials and labour.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27He said the project would be completed in 16 weeks.
0:31:27 > 0:31:29Sangeeta and Rohit gave him the green light
0:31:29 > 0:31:32and initial impressions were positive.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34He came with lots of people.
0:31:34 > 0:31:35They were very regular.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38They'd come around half eight and they'd be here until five o'clock.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44But the Prabhakars' early confidence turned out to be misplaced.
0:31:44 > 0:31:46Three weeks into the build and with their home
0:31:46 > 0:31:50and garden in a state of disarray, their builder went AWOL.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55He suddenly vanished.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59He stopped answering the calls and, at that point,
0:31:59 > 0:32:03he had stripped the roof off the front rooms of the main house.
0:32:03 > 0:32:09And it was raining, it was pouring and all the water would come inside.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14Every time it rained, the Prabhakars got soaked,
0:32:14 > 0:32:17whether they were inside or out.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19And the cowboy had converted
0:32:19 > 0:32:23their back garden into a dangerous building site.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25Sangeeta and Rohit were devastated.
0:32:25 > 0:32:30They'd been left without a roof and a whopping £18,000 out of pocket.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34They tried phoning and writing, but their builder never replied.
0:32:34 > 0:32:39Then, almost two months later, there was an astonishing turn of events.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41He came back.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43He was like, "I'm really, really sorry.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45"I went through a bad phase."
0:32:45 > 0:32:48I had a good hint here that he's lying at some point.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52But still, we thought, "OK. Let him come back. He'll finish the work."
0:32:53 > 0:32:56The Prabhakars would live to regret giving him a second chance.
0:32:56 > 0:33:01Over the next 12 months, they paid another £39,000,
0:33:01 > 0:33:04but had little to show for it, apart from an unfinished roof,
0:33:04 > 0:33:06an unplumbed bathroom,
0:33:06 > 0:33:08dodgy pipework,
0:33:08 > 0:33:11and cracks all over the walls.
0:33:11 > 0:33:15Then, when he'd used up all of their money, he vanished again,
0:33:15 > 0:33:18leaving behind a ruined home with no heating.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22Sangeeta, Rohit and the kids were left living in one room.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26We were paying a mortgage
0:33:26 > 0:33:31for a house that was basically worth nothing.
0:33:31 > 0:33:35The house was left with no roof, no stairs, no floors,
0:33:35 > 0:33:38no electricity and no gas.
0:33:38 > 0:33:39It was a complete wreck.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42And, remember, Sangeeta and Rohit had taken out
0:33:42 > 0:33:44a hefty loan to fund this work.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47They ended up shelling out another 36 grand to new builders
0:33:47 > 0:33:50brought in to complete their extension.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52But even that wasn't enough money to sort out
0:33:52 > 0:33:56the trail of devastation left behind.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58Sangeeta and Rohit couldn't even let their children
0:33:58 > 0:34:02out into the back garden, because it was so unsafe.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04The decking was a disaster zone too.
0:34:04 > 0:34:09The Prabhakars' dream project had become a never-ending nightmare.
0:34:11 > 0:34:12Right, you know what happens next.
0:34:12 > 0:34:14Our good guys swung into action.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18Remedial work had fixed a lot of the problems inside the house,
0:34:18 > 0:34:21so Sangeeta and Rohit asked our team to focus on the garden,
0:34:21 > 0:34:24so the kids could go out and play again.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27A mini digger was used to clear the ground,
0:34:27 > 0:34:29regrade it and landscape it.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32And this time, the good guy posse was a cast of thousands.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35Students from the local horticultural college came
0:34:35 > 0:34:39to lend a helping hand and what a cracking job they did, too.
0:34:41 > 0:34:43The garden was totally transformed.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47Perfect for the kids.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51Then it was time to sort the dreadful decking.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53The good guys were faced with this.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56And they left it in fine fettle.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59Our helping hands had got Sangeeta and Rohit's garden
0:34:59 > 0:35:01and decking out of intensive care
0:35:01 > 0:35:05and this failed building project well on the road to recovery.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07The couple were now planning to take
0:35:07 > 0:35:10legal action against their cowboy con artist.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13But would they ever get any of their money back?
0:35:13 > 0:35:15Only time would tell.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22Now, Rohit and Sangeeta were in a right old state
0:35:22 > 0:35:25when we rocked up with the good guys.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28By sorting out their garden, we helped them out of the cowboy trap.
0:35:28 > 0:35:32But that was back in 2010, so I'm fascinated to find out what's
0:35:32 > 0:35:35been going on since, more than three years later.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40'And I can't wait to hear if their legal proceedings
0:35:40 > 0:35:42'against the builder were successful.'
0:35:42 > 0:35:46- Hello, Sangeeta? I'm Jonnie.- Hiya. - How are you?- I'm all right.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50- You must be Rohit?- Yeah, hi. - Please come in.- Thank you very much.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52'Sangeeta and Rohit can't wait to tell me
0:35:52 > 0:35:56'how much use the garden has been getting since our good guys left.'
0:35:56 > 0:35:57This has all been bedded in now.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00It's part of your family life now, isn't it?
0:36:00 > 0:36:03Yeah, the kids been enjoying it really, really a lot.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05This was carnage out here before, wasn't it?
0:36:05 > 0:36:07Rubble all over the place.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09It was a bomb site, basically.
0:36:11 > 0:36:12'Well, that's putting it mildly.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16'This is what our good guys had to contend with.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19But, after they weaved their magic, much better.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22And, three years on, it's clearly being put to good use.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25You must have been very touched at the time
0:36:25 > 0:36:27to have all these people helping you out.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30Yeah. It is very different.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33At one end of the spectrum, when somebody
0:36:33 > 0:36:36nicks 60,000 out of your pocket
0:36:36 > 0:36:39and I don't have the words for that.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42And then people come in,
0:36:42 > 0:36:44they've got nothing to do with us,
0:36:44 > 0:36:47they don't know us and they do everything.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51'Next, Sangeeta takes me to her new office,
0:36:51 > 0:36:55'from where she's now running a successful travel agency business.'
0:36:56 > 0:36:59- So this is where it all happens. The real engine room, then.- Yes.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02- That's my little office. - It's great, though, isn't it?
0:37:02 > 0:37:05It is, it is. It is lovely.
0:37:05 > 0:37:11Our new builder, who finished the rest of the house, he did that.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14It's still in process.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17'Well, even if the travel agency nerve centre does need a bit
0:37:17 > 0:37:21'more kitting out, the good news is business is booming.
0:37:21 > 0:37:26'It's also fantastic that they found a local builder they can trust.'
0:37:26 > 0:37:27He is quite busy at the minute.
0:37:27 > 0:37:29We keep asking him, "Get some time out,
0:37:29 > 0:37:31"please do our work as well."
0:37:31 > 0:37:32You don't want to use another builder?
0:37:32 > 0:37:34No, I don't think so.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36- You found a good one, you're sticking to him.- That's true.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40And I can see why Rohit and Sangeeta are sticking to him.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42He's done a cracking job on this office.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45And, if Sangeeta's business continues to thrive, they'll be
0:37:45 > 0:37:48able to afford to finish the roof renovation, which,
0:37:48 > 0:37:51even three years on, remains work in progress.
0:37:51 > 0:37:55Our good guys clearly revived the Prabhakars' faith in builders,
0:37:55 > 0:38:00unlike that callous cowboy who treated them like a cash machine.
0:38:00 > 0:38:01I want to ask Sangeeta and Rohit
0:38:01 > 0:38:04why they gave this guy a second chance
0:38:04 > 0:38:08after he vanished first time round with £19,000 of their money.
0:38:08 > 0:38:13He just came back and said girlfriend had a major accident,
0:38:13 > 0:38:16she had a hip replacement
0:38:16 > 0:38:20and he was in the hospital all that time.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24'The Prabhakars believed him, even though it turns out that
0:38:24 > 0:38:28'just before he reappeared, they'd made a worrying discovery.'
0:38:28 > 0:38:31It was basically on the internet
0:38:31 > 0:38:35and it was a County Court Judgement
0:38:35 > 0:38:39- against him for £20,000.- OK.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42And, by that time, we knew,
0:38:42 > 0:38:45"Yeah, you know, we are in the wrong hands now."
0:38:45 > 0:38:46You're in hot water.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49I showed him whatever was there on the internet
0:38:49 > 0:38:51that, "It's about you,"
0:38:51 > 0:38:54and he said, "You won't believe what I'm going to tell you next.
0:38:54 > 0:38:59"I had an identity theft and somebody's used my name
0:38:59 > 0:39:01"and they've used my credit cards, bank accounts.
0:39:01 > 0:39:02"It's the same person."
0:39:02 > 0:39:05And he was literally in tears when he spoke about it.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09We were too easy to trust people.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11We had already paid him 19,000
0:39:11 > 0:39:14and he hadn't done much work worth 19,000.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18There was a chance that we lose that 19,000 if he runs away.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21That's the thing. That's the worry, isn't it?
0:39:21 > 0:39:25So we tried. "OK, we'll push him, we'll get the work done."
0:39:25 > 0:39:30And we thought, "We are clever enough that we'll get the work done."
0:39:30 > 0:39:35- So, you didn't want to say goodbye to the £19,000...- No.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37But, in order to get moving forward,
0:39:37 > 0:39:40- you have to spend some more money? - True.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45'And that's how you get drawn into the cowboy trap.'
0:39:45 > 0:39:46Take my advice...
0:39:50 > 0:39:52Trust your instincts. Remember...
0:40:03 > 0:40:06And, if you still have doubts, run for the hills.
0:40:06 > 0:40:11Sangeeta and Rohit didn't do that and lived to regret it.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13Now, on to the legal side of things,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16and there's some good news and there's some bad news.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19The bad news is the Prabhakars' legal action against the builder
0:40:19 > 0:40:22was unsuccessful, because he declared himself bankrupt.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25But, the good news is, with the help of their evidence,
0:40:25 > 0:40:27Trading Standards took him to court
0:40:27 > 0:40:30and he was jailed for fraud for 16 months
0:40:30 > 0:40:33and, on his release, received a further humiliating punishment.
0:40:33 > 0:40:40He's the first and only builder in the country to be issued ASBO.
0:40:40 > 0:40:44- So he's the first ever builder in the UK to have an ASBO?- Yes.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47As regards to his own profession.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50- He's not allowed to operate as a builder in this area?- Yeah.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53Wow. That...
0:40:53 > 0:40:55How does that make you feel, then, Sangeeta?
0:40:55 > 0:40:58He can't rip off anyone else locally like he has done, then.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03Yeah. Fingers crossed, I think he can't any more.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06He's a very crafty person. He changes his identity.
0:41:06 > 0:41:10He doesn't say he's the same person. He's extremely crafty.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14As indeed are many cowboy builders, ladies and gentlemen, which is why
0:41:14 > 0:41:17we all need to be on our guard.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21But, for Rohit and Sangeeta, all's well that will soon end well.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25They are seeing their dream home coming together at last.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28How do you feel getting Cowboy Trap involved helped you?
0:41:28 > 0:41:31- We were pretty low at that time, weren't we?- Yeah.
0:41:31 > 0:41:36We felt really trapped at some point, like no help, nothing.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38"We've lost the money."
0:41:38 > 0:41:42And then it was when Cowboy Trap rang us up, it was like,
0:41:42 > 0:41:44"OK. Somebody is there to help us out.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46"Somebody's listening to us."
0:41:46 > 0:41:48- Someone was on your side at last. - True.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53But it wasn't just someone, it was an army of people,
0:41:53 > 0:41:57reviving the Prabhakars' faith in human nature in one fell swoop.
0:41:58 > 0:42:03You could see the progress was there on a daily basis, rather
0:42:03 > 0:42:08than there is progress and there's nothing again for ages together.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11So you could see the difference.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14And, you know, workmanship,
0:42:14 > 0:42:17it basically speaks for itself, as well.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21I wish you the very best of luck with your next project.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23I also wish you the very best with your business.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25Sounds like it's going great guns.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27- Thank you.- Good luck. Nice to meet you.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30'And, with that, it's time to bid
0:42:30 > 0:42:32'Sangeeta and Rohit a fond farewell.'
0:42:34 > 0:42:35Well, as you can see,
0:42:35 > 0:42:39the wounds that the cowboy builder inflicted here still run deep.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42But justice, I think, was served, when the builder got a jail sentence
0:42:42 > 0:42:47and the first ever ASBO handed out to a UK builder.
0:42:47 > 0:42:51Now, I think Rohit and Sangeeta are genuinely moving forward. They have done.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54These last three years, they've established a successful business
0:42:54 > 0:42:58running from home, and the family are enjoying that lovely garden.
0:42:58 > 0:43:02And hopefully, when they get a good builder to sort out the roof,
0:43:02 > 0:43:06they can finally put to rest any memories of that cowboy builder for good.
0:43:23 > 0:43:26Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd