0:00:02 > 0:00:03When a crisis strikes your home...
0:00:03 > 0:00:05'How can I help?'
0:00:05 > 0:00:07'I've got a bit of an emergency.'
0:00:07 > 0:00:09..or you want major work done...
0:00:09 > 0:00:10Who do you trust?
0:00:10 > 0:00:12I feel so stupid.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16..you need one of the good guys. But you don't always get 'em.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18Oh, my goodness.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20You don't ever think it's going to happen to you.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22We'll hear the stories of devastation
0:00:22 > 0:00:25and despair left behind when building work doesn't go to plan.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28I don't want to look out here. I end up in tears.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32And we'll tell you how to avoid becoming a victim yourself.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36You have always got the safety net of the building inspector.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38But most tradesmen are there to help.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42And we'll follow the response teams who are there for you 24 hours a day...
0:00:42 > 0:00:44It's a nightmare, isn't it?
0:00:44 > 0:00:46Just have to make sure you don't fall through the ceiling.
0:00:46 > 0:00:47..seven days a week.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49I think we'll have to pull this out.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52It would have probably burnt the house down while they slept.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55From plumbers to roofers, electricians to locksmiths,
0:00:55 > 0:00:58we meet the men and women who help you out in your hour of need.
0:01:06 > 0:01:11Coming up... Pauline's drains have gone pear-shaped - or very nearly.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13- Like a banana, basically. - Can you show me?
0:01:13 > 0:01:15Yeah, I'll show you whereabouts it is.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18And the party's over -
0:01:18 > 0:01:20or it will be if John can't get the heating started.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23And the last thing they want to come into is a cold home -
0:01:23 > 0:01:25no matter how much spirit there is to drink!
0:01:26 > 0:01:30Plus a house full of memories becomes a house of horrors for Steve
0:01:30 > 0:01:35when a dodgy builder takes his money and leaves him with a building site.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39I was devastated by the whole process.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50It's long been said that in the UK, our home is our castle
0:01:50 > 0:01:52and when you've invested thousands of pounds in it,
0:01:52 > 0:01:56that's exactly how it feels, so when a dodgy builder comes along
0:01:56 > 0:02:00and rips you off for thousands, it's a real shocker.
0:02:01 > 0:02:06For Steve Holmes, originally from Hartlepool, it was devastating.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09Because for Steve, home is also where the heart is.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14It's the house he grew up in from the age of three months old.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19I always wanted to come back to the town, back to my roots.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22It's all the memories that go with it.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24I've got memories of me and my dad.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26We spent a lot of time together in the garden.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28Any time we did a DIY job,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31I was always giving him a hand as I was young 'un.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37When his dad died three years ago and left the property to
0:02:37 > 0:02:41Steve and his siblings, Steve bought them out and decided to renovate it.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45I know my dad loved this house.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47He never wanted to move
0:02:47 > 0:02:50and I just wanted to do it as, like,
0:02:50 > 0:02:54as a...to honour my dad's memory as well, like.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Steve has been living more than 70 miles away in Leeds
0:02:57 > 0:03:01but his life plan was to renovate the house and move home.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03He was thrilled that his daughter was planning to move in too,
0:03:03 > 0:03:07and the house would return to a family home.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11This was Steve's dream design for an open-plan kitchen,
0:03:11 > 0:03:13perfect for family gatherings.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17He also wanted to convert an upstairs bedroom into a bathroom
0:03:17 > 0:03:21and install a new boiler and central heating system.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25As an electrician by trade and working as a contracts manager
0:03:25 > 0:03:29in Leeds, Steve is no stranger to building work.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33I can turn my hand to most things but I thought the kitchen
0:03:33 > 0:03:35and the bathrooms, they would make the home
0:03:35 > 0:03:38so I wanted somebody professional to do that.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43He obtained three separate quotes and from those,
0:03:43 > 0:03:47chose Michael Tolliday and his company Kitchen Logic.
0:03:47 > 0:03:52He said he could do all the work in three weeks for just over £14,000.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56And he asked for a total deposit of £8,000
0:03:56 > 0:03:59to be paid before the work even started.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01Mike seemed enthusiastic.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03He was saying the right things.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06I was really encouraged by his attitude.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09But once the work got under way,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12it wasn't the professional job Steve was hoping for.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16I'd never experienced contractors like it -
0:04:16 > 0:04:20the way they left all floorboards missing in the hallway, there was
0:04:20 > 0:04:24no lighting on at the time and it was dangerous to come into the house.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29I've come to Hartlepool to meet Steve
0:04:29 > 0:04:31and see for myself what happened.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41- All right, Tommy. Nice to meet you. - How are you?- Kettle's on, mate.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43Oh, lovely. Ooh!
0:04:43 > 0:04:46I know it has a special meaning for you, this house.
0:04:46 > 0:04:47It does.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50My parents purchased it when I was three months old and I've got an
0:04:50 > 0:04:54older brother and I've got three sisters so we all grew up in here.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57And this'll be me to retire, like.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01So it must have been particularly disheartening when...
0:05:01 > 0:05:03the problems you've had with the contract?
0:05:03 > 0:05:05It was. It was a real let down.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Steve's in the business.
0:05:07 > 0:05:08He's a qualified electrician
0:05:08 > 0:05:12and there's nothing worse than being let down by one of your own.
0:05:12 > 0:05:17I want to know exactly what made him select Tolliday as his contractor.
0:05:17 > 0:05:18How did you choose him?
0:05:18 > 0:05:20It was one of those websites.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22They would send you three contractors,
0:05:22 > 0:05:26so you'd get three prices - competitive tender, if you like.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28- Did you contact all three?- Yes.- OK.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31So what made you choose the particular one you chose?
0:05:31 > 0:05:36Well, they were the only ones that could do the bathrooms and I chose
0:05:36 > 0:05:40another supplier to do the kitchen, cos I liked the design better.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44And then through conversation with Mike of Logic,
0:05:44 > 0:05:46he gave me a price which was slightly cheaper,
0:05:46 > 0:05:50so it all made sense to do everything with one company, like.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Yeah, well, it would normally be the best to do that.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56- But I think you just backed the wrong horse...- I did.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58- ..in this particular case. - I did. And it's...
0:05:58 > 0:05:59I felt such a sucker, like,
0:05:59 > 0:06:03cos I deal with contractors on a daily basis as part of my job.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06While Steve compared quotes,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09he didn't speak to the builder's previous customers
0:06:09 > 0:06:14or check out online reviews - something I always advise.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17Did he give you a proper estimate and paperwork for this quote?
0:06:17 > 0:06:20Well, with the bathroom, with the bathrooms he did, he gave
0:06:20 > 0:06:25me the detailed quotes and the design but with the kitchens, because I
0:06:25 > 0:06:30chose a different design, he matched that design and gave me a price.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32- He asked you for money upfront, yeah?- Yes.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34And you didn't have any concerns about that?
0:06:34 > 0:06:38No, cos it seemed standard - the deposit, then you'd pay
0:06:38 > 0:06:40so much when the kitchen was delivered
0:06:40 > 0:06:44and then you'd make the final payment on the instalment.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48Steve had agreed to pay an initial deposit of £3,000 for his open-plan
0:06:48 > 0:06:53kitchen matching this design, £2,000 for his upstairs bathroom
0:06:53 > 0:06:59and £2,000 for a new boiler and central heating system.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Added to this was a further £1,000
0:07:02 > 0:07:04to have the kitchen cabinets delivered,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07to build a Michael Tolliday storage facility,
0:07:07 > 0:07:10making a total deposit of £8,000.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12So tell me about how the work started.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16They arrived on site, the guys, the first day, and what the guys
0:07:16 > 0:07:20- had to do was take the wall out, to make an open-plan kitchen.- Right.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23And they opened up a doorway upstairs for the bathrooms.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25But then they never came back and it was just...
0:07:25 > 0:07:29- So how long were they here for?- Two, three days max.- What, that's it?
0:07:29 > 0:07:31That's it.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35- How much did you actually give him in total?- £8,000.- Right.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39- Now, was that a cheque, or cash, or...?- It was bank transfer.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42If I'd have used my credit cards, I'd have been covered.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47If Steve had just paid even £100 of the total bill
0:07:47 > 0:07:51on a credit card, he could have been covered by the Consumer Credit Act.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53And he might have been able to claim some of the money back
0:07:53 > 0:07:56via his credit card company.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59But I always say, however you pay,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01always get a record of the transaction
0:08:01 > 0:08:06and ONLY pay when each stage has been completed satisfactorily.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09And of course, once Steve had paid all the deposit,
0:08:09 > 0:08:12his builder took off with every penny.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14It was an absolute nightmare.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17What they'd actually done was unacceptable.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21Later, we'll see the length this cowboy went to
0:08:21 > 0:08:25to deceive Steve and more than a dozen other people.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29- How much of this was delivered, if anything?- None.
0:08:36 > 0:08:37But not everyone is a rogue
0:08:37 > 0:08:41and when you suddenly develop a water leak in your home and you
0:08:41 > 0:08:45can't tell where it's coming from, it's time to call in the experts.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48That's what homeowner Pauline Harcourt Jones from Manchester
0:08:48 > 0:08:50has done today.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54And the team on their way are Craig and Jack but like Pauline,
0:08:54 > 0:08:56they're not quite sure what to expect.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01Er, I don't know. They just said it's water ingress in the cellar.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04Pauline first noticed the problem earlier in the week.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08The radiators went extremely hot, dangerously hot.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11So I rang the gas board up. Now, I don't go downstairs in that cellar
0:09:11 > 0:09:14unless I've got to.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16But I went down with the gas board man
0:09:16 > 0:09:19and there was water down there, you see, so I said,
0:09:19 > 0:09:21"Oh! It's leaking from the boiler",
0:09:21 > 0:09:26and he looked at it very carefully and he said he thought it was coming from the wall.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30And then I thought, "Well, perhaps we can get the job done on the insurance."
0:09:30 > 0:09:32It could be quite a big job.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36The insurance company suggested that Pauline call in a drains team.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40And that's what Craig and Jack, his apprentice, are.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47Pauline shows the lads the evidence downstairs.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51- It's right from under here.- Oh, I can see it dripping there.- Can you?
0:09:51 > 0:09:52Yeah, I've just seen it dripping.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Next, Pauline shows Craig and Jack the possible causes outside.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02Now this is the pipe from the bathroom and from the kitchen here.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05It might be from down here, which is what you're going to look at,
0:10:05 > 0:10:10- but it might also be from this tree root as well.- We'll have a look.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12- No problem.- Right, OK.- OK, then. Thanks very much.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17There are no obvious clues,
0:10:17 > 0:10:19so Craig and Jack are going to have turn detective
0:10:19 > 0:10:23and work out what's causing the water to appear below the boiler.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26So we've got the rainwater pipe there, Jack.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29It's going straight into concrete.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32That could be full of muck but when I was down there then,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35it were dripping and that's got a slight drip on it also.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39It's important they solve the problem, or Pauline could end up
0:10:39 > 0:10:43with a flooded basement and severe damp issues.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46I reckon there's some tree roots in that drain.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Craig starts his investigation by lifting the hatch to the manhole.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54Quite a bit of roots in there.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59Tree roots can cause extensive damage to sewer pipes and
0:10:59 > 0:11:05cause the drains to back up, so make sure you check yours regularly.
0:11:05 > 0:11:10Better pump in some water down there, Jack - drain-tracing dye in there,
0:11:10 > 0:11:12and see if it comes through the wall in the cellar.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18Using a dye in the water is a quick way to trace the entry point.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21If the dyed water shows up in the basement, it's problem found.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26Right, there's some dye coming through the manhole now
0:11:26 > 0:11:28so if you just leave that running,
0:11:28 > 0:11:31I'll go down into the cellar and have a look.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33It just seems to be dripping at the moment.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37But there's no sign of the green dye.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41There's still no green dye.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44The cause of the water in the basement is going to need
0:11:44 > 0:11:45more forensic examination.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49We've got to eliminate each individual drain separately.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54The next stage is to use the camera to see
0:11:54 > 0:11:58if the tree root is the cause of the problem, or if something else is up.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01- Right, Jack!- Aye!
0:12:01 > 0:12:04Trainee Jack feeds a mini camera down one of the drains
0:12:04 > 0:12:07while Craig watches the screen in the van.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11It's the only way of knowing what's happening in the pipes.
0:12:11 > 0:12:12If you need your drains checked,
0:12:12 > 0:12:17the cost of a camera inspection starts around £80.
0:12:17 > 0:12:18Hold it there!
0:12:19 > 0:12:24- Right.- The camera's gone straight underwater, which is not good.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26This is saying that the pipe has dropped.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30I can also see there's a small break in the top of the pipe.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34And there seems to be root infestation in the pipe also.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38If the pipe has dropped further under the ground
0:12:38 > 0:12:41and is now out of alignment with the rest of the run, it could
0:12:41 > 0:12:45have displaced the joint and allowed water to leak into the cellar.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49And it looks as if that might be what's happened here.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52But Craig can also see that the drain is full of grease,
0:12:52 > 0:12:56which will need clearing if he's to do a full inspection.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00With Jack's help, he sets up a high-powered jetting hose
0:13:00 > 0:13:01and feeds it into the pipe.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11Then with the aid of a rod, he removes material causing a blockage,
0:13:11 > 0:13:13including bits of tree root.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17This is grease.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19Basically, like a chip pan.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Just going to jet it again now.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29That's a lot better now.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32Another quick look via the camera.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34Pull it back.
0:13:36 > 0:13:37But it's not good news.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44Up to now, what we've found is between 0.18 metres
0:13:44 > 0:13:48and two metres, the camera goes underwater and to solve this,
0:13:48 > 0:13:51we're going to have to excavate the back garden up.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57- Hello. Right, I've had a look.- Yes.
0:13:57 > 0:14:02- There's a two-metre section which is underwater.- Underwater?
0:14:02 > 0:14:04- Like a banana, basically. - Can you show me?
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Yeah, I'll show you whereabouts it is.
0:14:08 > 0:14:09Watch your step here.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13So from about here...
0:14:13 > 0:14:16- ..to about here...- Yeah. - ..is like a banana.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20I'm glad it's that, in a sense, and not that tree.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24However, to repair it means digging up the small section of garden
0:14:24 > 0:14:27covering the leaking pipe and replacing it.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Five working days it takes.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33- And then I can get on to the insurers and bully them.- Yeah. - Try to!
0:14:33 > 0:14:38Craig will send Pauline an inspection report and estimate.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41She is hopeful it will be approved by her insurance company
0:14:41 > 0:14:44- and the lads can come back and do the work.- Thank you very much.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47- Thank you.- Thank you, love. Bye-bye. Bye.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50It's always worth checking your home insurance
0:14:50 > 0:14:52when you have problems with your drains.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55Repairs can run to several thousand pounds
0:14:55 > 0:14:58but you may be covered for the work.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01For Craig, it's been an interesting job.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03I like these jobs. I like the investigation work.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07I mean, it's better than just going unblocking Joe Bloggs' toilet,
0:15:07 > 0:15:11and taking ten minutes and then getting on to your next one.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15And Pauline is relieved that Craig's detective work has revealed
0:15:15 > 0:15:17the cause of her basement leak.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20I'm very glad that they have found out what it is, because once
0:15:20 > 0:15:26you have found what your problem is, you can then solve it.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38I'm in Hartlepool, visiting electrician Steve Holmes
0:15:38 > 0:15:41to see the mess that builder Michael Tolliday made of Steve's
0:15:41 > 0:15:45childhood home, when he contracted him to help renovate the property.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50Rogue tradesmen Tolliday vanished after three days' work, taking
0:15:50 > 0:15:55Steve's eight grand deposit with him and leaving Steve devastated,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57his happy memories in tatters.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02I trusted him and he's betrayed my trust.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05I mean, my daughter was going to be moving in with me
0:16:05 > 0:16:10as soon as the house was ready. I was just absolutely gutted.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13When the builder left,
0:16:13 > 0:16:18Steve's home resembled a rubbish site with no kitchen and bathrooms.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21They'd enclosed the room, this room, for the kitchen,
0:16:21 > 0:16:25and allowed a young lad to climb through the windows
0:16:25 > 0:16:28to pull down lath and plaster ceiling.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31You can imagine - the house was built in 1897
0:16:31 > 0:16:34so about a couple of hundred years' worth of dust has then just
0:16:34 > 0:16:37gone upstairs and throughout every room in the property.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43The rubble from the ceiling, the plaster,
0:16:43 > 0:16:47some of the brickwork were all shoved under the floorboards.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51They'd knocked a hole through a wall with a big sledgehammer
0:16:51 > 0:16:54and the wall itself was all cracked.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58It was like cowboy builders.
0:16:58 > 0:17:03And that's exactly what Michael Tolliday was - a complete cowboy.
0:17:03 > 0:17:08As Steve found out when he got a call from one of the builder's own workforce.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11He informed me not to give Mike any more deposits.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14He was taking it off a number of customers
0:17:14 > 0:17:18and just ripping out their kitchens and not doing any further work.
0:17:19 > 0:17:24When he told me, I was absolutely gutted. My heart sank.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29Fortunately for Steve, he hadn't yet moved into the property
0:17:29 > 0:17:32and was still living in Leeds, 75 miles away.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35But 16 months later, he still hasn't been able to make
0:17:35 > 0:17:39the much-wanted move back home to his roots.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42I'm anxious to see the current state of play.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45So here we are. This is what's going to be the kitchen,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48- the place that caused all the heartache.- It did.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51The bricks, the lath and plaster itself,
0:17:51 > 0:17:53took me five days to clear out,
0:17:53 > 0:17:55cos it was all shoved under the floorboards.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59Believe it or not, I'd provided the skips for them in the back yard
0:17:59 > 0:18:02and they couldn't even be bothered to take the materials to the skip.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05Well, taking lath and plaster ceilings down
0:18:05 > 0:18:08is the dirtiest game in the building trade.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10- So this is the plan.- It is, yeah.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12We're going to have a breakfast bar coming out here.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16- Are you a bit of a cook? - I love cooking.- Yeah?- I love cooking.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18My dad was a cook as well.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20It's a pity the kitchen ain't in. You could make me a sandwich.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22Yeah, yeah!
0:18:24 > 0:18:28I really feel for Steve. It's clear his heart really lies here.
0:18:28 > 0:18:33- How much of this was delivered, if anything?- None.- Not one piece.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36I was informed that he'd had it delivered to his warehouse.
0:18:36 > 0:18:41- When I asked to go and see it, then I was fobbed off again.- Yeah.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44So it turns out he'd never even purchased the kitchen.
0:18:46 > 0:18:47What a con man.
0:18:47 > 0:18:52Steve had paid £4,000 to Tolliday for a non-existent kitchen.
0:18:52 > 0:18:57But at least Steve's managed to complete some of the work upstairs.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00This looks a bit nice, Steve, doesn't it?
0:19:00 > 0:19:03- It wasn't done by them lads, as you might imagine.- Oh, so this was...
0:19:03 > 0:19:05This has all been done since.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07I've had to get like cheaper tiles,
0:19:07 > 0:19:09cheaper fixings, you know what I mean...
0:19:09 > 0:19:14- but it's liveable and it's nice. I like it.- It's nice. Yeah, it's nice.
0:19:14 > 0:19:15So this is the en-suite.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18- You are nearly there, really. - Yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22There's a little bit of finishing to do and a bit of the electrics,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25if you know somebody to do the electrics!
0:19:25 > 0:19:28I know somebody, but he's not cheap, Tom.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32There's definitely a beautiful home here, just waiting to be completed.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35And there's some news about Tolliday, too.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40When Steve contacted Trading Standards about his concerns,
0:19:40 > 0:19:44he discovered that they were already investigating Kitchen Logic
0:19:44 > 0:19:46and Michael Tolliday.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50Steve was one of 16 victims who handed over money
0:19:50 > 0:19:52for little or no work.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57With overwhelming evidence from Steve and others he'd ripped off,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Tolliday pleaded guilty to 11 counts of fraud
0:20:00 > 0:20:04and two counts of engaging in unfair commercial practices.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07He was jailed for three-and-a-half years.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14- I do love this staircase. - It is nice, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16A proper cut string staircase, that, mate.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19And I'm sure it's going to be great when you've finished it.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23- A bit like all the house, really. - Yeah.- So you're moving in the right direction with it
0:20:23 > 0:20:26- and hopefully, you've picked up a few tips from me, when I tell you. - Fantastic tips.
0:20:26 > 0:20:32And also on a positive note, you're one of 16...well, KNOWN victims...
0:20:32 > 0:20:34- Yeah.- ..of this guy and together,
0:20:34 > 0:20:37you've managed to lift him off the street,
0:20:37 > 0:20:40get him convicted and now he's serving time in prison.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42So that's a good thing.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45But I really like - what I really like about you, is that you're
0:20:45 > 0:20:49trying to recreate, if you like, you know, your childhood memories
0:20:49 > 0:20:53for your kids and your grandchildren and most of all, cos you're
0:20:53 > 0:20:57trying to honour your father's memory, which is very special.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03- All right, Steve. I'll see you. - Cheers, Tom.- See you. Bye.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09You know, it's always good to see justice done to someone who's
0:21:09 > 0:21:13caused so much misery to so many victims.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16I think it shows that even if you're in the industry, you can
0:21:16 > 0:21:19still be duped and I think that tells us just how deceitful
0:21:19 > 0:21:23and clever these confidence tricksters really are.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27And it's good to know that Steve will soon be living back
0:21:27 > 0:21:30amongst fond memories in the home he's always loved.
0:21:39 > 0:21:45Heating engineer John Fawcett is on his way to a home emergency in South London.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48His head office has had a call from a customer who's been without
0:21:48 > 0:21:51heating and hot water since yesterday.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54And for the homeowner, it's a real crisis.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58Yeah, the gentleman who called up was very adamant that it was
0:21:58 > 0:21:59repaired immediately.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02He sounded quite worried on the phone, quite panicky,
0:22:02 > 0:22:06so we will do our best to help him out and get him sorted.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11The man with the heating problem is Gary Humphreys,
0:22:11 > 0:22:14and there's a reason for his growing concern.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17He's got plans, and you know what they say about best laid plans.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25John arrives at the house, and Gary's very relieved to see him.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27- Mr Humphreys?- Yes.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31Hi, have you got a problem with your boiler? I'm from MGC Plumbing...
0:22:31 > 0:22:33- Lovely.- How are you doing? You OK?- Yeah.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35He's hoping John can solve his heating problem
0:22:35 > 0:22:37before the end of the day.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39We have a party this evening,
0:22:39 > 0:22:41we've got some family and friends coming over.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44The last thing they want to come into is a cold home.
0:22:44 > 0:22:45No matter how much spirit there is to drink.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47HE LAUGHS
0:22:47 > 0:22:50Gary first knew something was wrong yesterday afternoon.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52I felt the temperature drop down.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54I thought "OK, maybe the boiler's sort of dropped a level."
0:22:54 > 0:22:56or whatever.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58Went in there, looked at it, nothing.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Absolutely no lights, nothing, which there normally is.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03It's like a bit of a light show in there when everything's working,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06and called and they came, obviously, straight away.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12Yes, but now John has to fix it or the party's off.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14Gary shows him the problem.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16- That's it.- OK.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18Normally, all that's on, but it's just gone off,
0:23:18 > 0:23:20and I've sort of like...
0:23:20 > 0:23:22- HE FLICKS SWITCH - But there's nothing, so.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24So, you've no heating or hot water, is that correct?
0:23:24 > 0:23:27Nothing. The boiler is behind this one.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31Oh, lovely, let's have a look at that.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34Here we go. I've pulled that down to check but it's all dead as well.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38It looks like you've got a bit of a power issue.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40OK.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43We'll run a couple of tests, and I'll let you know what we can do for you.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45- All right?- No problem, I'll leave it to you then, yeah?
0:23:45 > 0:23:47- TENSE MUSIC PLAYS - John gets to work.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50So the first port of call is to check the obvious, really,
0:23:50 > 0:23:52and make sure that we actually have power.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01OK, we're going to the socket,
0:24:01 > 0:24:04cos we could have an electrical fault here.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08We need to work out whether it's minor or major.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10Hopefully it's minor.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13The reason for the party is that Gary's wife, Sam,
0:24:13 > 0:24:16has just come out of hospital after a small op,
0:24:16 > 0:24:20and the family are coming round to see her, 20 of them.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23But, luckily for Sam, John might have saved the day.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28Right, we've got a bit of life now.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34I switched the trips on the consumer unit.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39It appears like the boiler's now firing up.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41We might have a result for him.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45Well, it looks like it is minor.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48For some reason, the electrical switch for the boiler has
0:24:48 > 0:24:52tripped and stopped the supply of electricity to the appliance.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56If you experience unexpected boiler problems, or loss of heat,
0:24:56 > 0:25:00check the power supply and make sure everything is turned on properly,
0:25:00 > 0:25:04and check that your room thermostats are turned up.
0:25:04 > 0:25:05If the water pressure has dropped,
0:25:05 > 0:25:09check your user manual on how to let in more water.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12It's a quick and easy fix you can do yourself.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15John explains what he's found to Gary.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19- I've just tested your boiler, do you know your main fuse box?- OK.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23The fuse for...the switch for the central heating was switched off.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26He shows Gary the switch.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Central heating up, and central heating... They were both off.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32- Why they were off...- Would there have been a fault, is that why?
0:25:32 > 0:25:33It could have been a fault,
0:25:33 > 0:25:37or it could have just been one of those things.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40But I'm going to make sure, while I'm here, that there is
0:25:40 > 0:25:43no reason whatsoever why you might have any future problems, OK?
0:25:43 > 0:25:45If there is a problem with the boiler,
0:25:45 > 0:25:48it certainly would have blown the fuse, but we'll give it all
0:25:48 > 0:25:51the once-over and make sure everything's OK for you, all right?
0:25:51 > 0:25:53- Fantastic, OK. Thank you very much.- No problems.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56John needs to make sure that there isn't an underlying
0:25:56 > 0:25:58reason for the boiler switch tripping.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01We're just going to carry out what we call a quick flue gas analysis
0:26:01 > 0:26:05and that will tell us that the inside of the boiler is functioning OK.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08It lets us know
0:26:08 > 0:26:12that the boiler isn't producing carbon monoxide,
0:26:12 > 0:26:14which is absolutely essential
0:26:14 > 0:26:17regardless of what the fault is that's been phoned through to us.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23And that's working like brand-new.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25All appliances burning wood or fossil fuels
0:26:25 > 0:26:27can emit carbon monoxide.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30It's produced when they're burnt without sufficient air
0:26:30 > 0:26:32or ventilation.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36The cause is often poorly installed or maintained appliances.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39So, if you have a boiler, fire or water heater
0:26:39 > 0:26:42that runs on oil, gas or wood,
0:26:42 > 0:26:44it's a good idea to fit a carbon monoxide alarm
0:26:44 > 0:26:48and to get your appliance serviced regularly.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50John reports back to Gary.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52Everything's absolutely fine, safe and working.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56Also, if you have any further problems, give us a call, I'll come straight back to you.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58- Fantastic. All up and running? - Absolutely.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00- Thank you very much, indeed. - No problems.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03For John, it's important Gary did the right thing
0:27:03 > 0:27:05- and called him out. - All right, bye-bye.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08This isn't a DIY type of situation with heating and hot water.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11It's absolutely fundamental that any gas-related issues
0:27:11 > 0:27:13are checked by gas safe registers and engineers.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19And Gary's glad he can get on with preparations for the evening ahead.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22What's going to happen now is, I'm going to get on with some
0:27:22 > 0:27:25cooking for this evening, and stay warm without putting a coat on.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28HE LAUGHS
0:27:28 > 0:27:31So it's good result, and it's all round to Gary's for a party.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43Any one of us could be in a situation such as we've seen today.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46whether it be an emergency in our own home,
0:27:46 > 0:27:48or falling foul of rogue workmanship.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52Just take note of my top tips and hopefully it'll be home, sweet home.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59In Hartlepool, Steve is still working on his former family home
0:27:59 > 0:28:01and has yet to move in.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04But he's hopeful that both he and his daughter
0:28:04 > 0:28:06will be living there soon.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08Pauline's had further work done on her drains
0:28:08 > 0:28:10and is waiting to see if it's fixed the problem,
0:28:10 > 0:28:14and whether her insurance company will pay.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16And there was a warm welcome for everyone
0:28:16 > 0:28:19at Gary and Sam's family party.