0:00:02 > 0:00:03'When a crisis strikes your home...'
0:00:03 > 0:00:07- PHONE OPERATOR: How can I help? - I've got a bit of an emergency.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10- '..or you want major work done...' - It was our dream.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12It is a total mess.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14'..you need one of the good guys.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16'But you don't always get them.'
0:00:16 > 0:00:18I've never seen anything like this.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20Potentially, I stand to lose the house.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23We'll hear the stories of devastation and despair left behind
0:00:23 > 0:00:25when building work doesn't go to plan.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27He didn't put the foundations all the way around,
0:00:27 > 0:00:30- so the front bit didn't have any... - What?!
0:00:30 > 0:00:33'And we'll tell you how to avoid becoming a victim yourself.'
0:00:33 > 0:00:36Did you have a comparison price?
0:00:36 > 0:00:39'But most tradesmen are there to help,
0:00:39 > 0:00:42'and we'll follow the response teams who are there for you
0:00:42 > 0:00:43'24 hours a day...'
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Eventually, the ceiling would have come down in the kitchen.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48'..seven days a week.'
0:00:48 > 0:00:49It ain't everyone's cup of tea,
0:00:49 > 0:00:51but most people are pleased to see you.
0:00:51 > 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.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Coming up, a tree surgeon comes to the rescue
0:01:07 > 0:01:12when a man's giant beech tree is putting people's lives at risk.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15OK, slow, whoa, whoa, whoa! Down, down, down, down!
0:01:16 > 0:01:19A locksmith hurries over to a pensioner's house
0:01:19 > 0:01:21when his home is at threat from burglars.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24You don't want to leave it to chance.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26And a rogue roofer's dodgy workmanship
0:01:26 > 0:01:28leaves one woman in peril.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Going to bed thinking to yourself,
0:01:30 > 0:01:34looking at the ceiling, it could collapse any minute now.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37And I witness just how upsetting that can be.
0:01:38 > 0:01:39Look, we all get tearful.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42Let me give you a cuddle, it's all right, don't worry. Don't worry.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53When you book tradespeople into your home,
0:01:53 > 0:01:56you hope they'll do a good job, and generally they do.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59But sometimes things go horribly wrong.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06In Bristol, house-proud Kim Waxman does all she can
0:02:06 > 0:02:07to maintain her home.
0:02:07 > 0:02:12At the end of 2013, she decided to pay for a new roof
0:02:12 > 0:02:14and thought it would be all sorted
0:02:14 > 0:02:16before the bad winter weather set in.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20There was no way she could have known back then that this one job
0:02:20 > 0:02:23would end up costing her her savings and her pension money
0:02:23 > 0:02:25when she had to pay twice to put it right.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31My whole world collapsed about the whole situation.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34The whole roof had to be redone again.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37The roof itself was on the verge of collapsing.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41'Well, I've come to talk to Kim about her ropey roof
0:02:41 > 0:02:44'to see if I can understand exactly what went wrong.'
0:02:44 > 0:02:47- Hello, Tommy.- Is it Kim? - It is indeed, yes, do come in.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50Now, tell me about this situation.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54What was the reason you chose the contractor that you did choose?
0:02:54 > 0:02:56He was quite friendly.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59He came in the house and obviously sat down,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02had a cup of coffee with us, sort of jolly in himself,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05making jokes, making us feel at ease.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09And, as well as making the couple feel comfortable,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11the roofer seemed a very thorough.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14He was going to take off their solar panels,
0:03:14 > 0:03:16then remove the whole roof covering.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19The repairs would include new roof felt, battens and tiles,
0:03:19 > 0:03:23and the contractor would then put the solar panels back safely in place.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29How did the price compare with all the other prices that you had?
0:03:29 > 0:03:32It was about £1,000-£500 cheaper.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36OK. Now, what about the payment schedule?
0:03:36 > 0:03:38Did he ask for any money upfront?
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Not at first, no.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43- He didn't ask for a deposit? - No, not at all, no.
0:03:43 > 0:03:48Gave us a figure of £3,750, which we were quite happy with.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50- That's a pretty reasonable price. - Not bad, yeah.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54Did he stick to this process or did it change?
0:03:54 > 0:03:56It changed, very slightly,
0:03:56 > 0:04:00cos obviously being Christmas he said to us, "It is a very large job, Kim,
0:04:00 > 0:04:03"all I need is a little bit of money upfront for materials."
0:04:03 > 0:04:06- That old chestnut again.- Exactly.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09Kim had done things correctly.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13She'd got several quotes and then gone for what looked like
0:04:13 > 0:04:16the best price with Russell Lloyd and his company.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20Kim had then got a contract and agreed a work schedule -
0:04:20 > 0:04:22another golden rule.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25But she couldn't have foreseen then what was going to happen
0:04:25 > 0:04:28when the builders began work in December, 2013.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Everything was fine, the guys started work for us.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35Three or four of the men came down, obviously with him,
0:04:35 > 0:04:39and he disappeared and scaffolders put scaffolding up and everything.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42- So he didn't actually do any work? - No.- Right.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44- So he was the man in the suit? - Yeah.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46- And he had four men working. - Yeah.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48- So they stripped it all off?- Yeah. - Was the weather good?
0:04:48 > 0:04:50No, it wasn't. It was bad, yeah.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53So they tried to put the roof on in the bad weather.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57Did they take the battens and felt off and put new felt and battens on?
0:04:57 > 0:05:00They didn't, they actually put new felt over the actual old felt,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03- and ripped all the felt inside the roof.- No.- Yeah.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05What about the battens, then?
0:05:05 > 0:05:07- Did they change them? No? - No, no.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12Ah, now we have a slight... Now we have a different story altogether.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17Did you get the local building inspector involved?
0:05:17 > 0:05:20Not until afterwards, not until actually afterwards.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22- Cos you weren't aware? - No, we didn't realise.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26Because they didn't initially inspect the work,
0:05:26 > 0:05:30Kim and her husband didn't realise the roof hadn't been stripped back
0:05:30 > 0:05:31and had all the parts replaced
0:05:31 > 0:05:34until the evening after the workmen had finished.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36When they did realise,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39it was obvious that the work was completely unsound.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43Well, I was actually coming home one evening from work
0:05:43 > 0:05:48and I could see the solar panels on the roof didn't look quite straight.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51So my husband went and had a look on the actual roof itself
0:05:51 > 0:05:54and we have actually got a picture of Steve
0:05:54 > 0:05:57where he's got his hand underneath the panel just lifting it up.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00Not only did the solar panels look wrong,
0:06:00 > 0:06:03the new roof was leaking badly into their back bedroom.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Going to bed and thinking to yourself,
0:06:06 > 0:06:08looking at the ceiling, it could collapse any minute now,
0:06:08 > 0:06:10and so frightened we had to sleep in the front room
0:06:10 > 0:06:13over Christmas, we couldn't sleep in the bedrooms upstairs.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16It was awful, absolutely horrendous for us. Absolutely horrendous.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23'By December the 30th, when a text from Lloyd made Kim realise
0:06:23 > 0:06:27'he wasn't coming back, she busied herself collecting evidence,
0:06:27 > 0:06:29'taking pictures of his work.'
0:06:29 > 0:06:31Oh, yes.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35- Yes, that does look unattractive, doesn't it?- Exactly.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39Where this has all fell down is because they did it in poor weather.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42- Yeah.- But they could have got round this by putting a temporary
0:06:42 > 0:06:45scaffold higher, and then tarping over the top of that,
0:06:45 > 0:06:48so that you would have had what we call a temporary roof
0:06:48 > 0:06:51to cover this while you're doing it.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54- So, here we have the solar. - We do indeed.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57When they took the actual solar panels off, what they actually did,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00they cut all the actual wires, they didn't put it back properly.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02They only plug into each other, that's what they do.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05It's a simple junction, they plug in so you link them altogether.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08- Yeah, they just cut all the wires. - They cut them?
0:07:08 > 0:07:11- That would have been a difficult one to resolve, that.- Exactly.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14Did you try and contact the contractor and say, you know, "What's going on?"
0:07:14 > 0:07:19Yeah, we tried contacting them several times by phone and by e-mail,
0:07:19 > 0:07:23text messages, everything, and we got a couple of responses back from them.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25As far as they were aware, the work's been done,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28basically go away, stop contacting us.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31- Did you write to them? - We did write to them, yes.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Me and my husband actually wrote to them,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37gave them 14 days' confirmation to return back to us.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39Not once did they come back to us.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45To add insult to injury, the scaffolders who worked on the house
0:07:45 > 0:07:49were also hassling Kim, claiming that Russell Lloyd hadn't paid them.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52It seemed that Mr Lloyd had become elusive,
0:07:52 > 0:07:56and after he'd been paid for the work on Kim's house
0:07:56 > 0:07:58he just wasn't interested in putting it right.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01She had no option but to call in help in the form
0:08:01 > 0:08:04of Trading Standards and the local building inspector's office.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09So, when you got the building inspector involved,
0:08:09 > 0:08:11did he come round and have a look at it and make an appraisal?
0:08:11 > 0:08:14He came down, had an appraisal, looked at the whole situation,
0:08:14 > 0:08:18everything else, and got a new company in to fix it for us, yeah.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23The new company had to completely strip Kim's roof
0:08:23 > 0:08:27and use new felt, tiles and battens to get it back in shape,
0:08:27 > 0:08:30totalling £4,100.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33In addition, they were able to show Kim that the wires
0:08:33 > 0:08:35to her solar panels had been cut,
0:08:35 > 0:08:40and she had to find an extra £600 to put that right.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43On top of the original £3,750 price,
0:08:43 > 0:08:47that makes a grand total of £8,450.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51You know, don't feel bad, because you've been a victim,
0:08:51 > 0:08:54there are a lot of people who have been victims.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56I always try to say to people,
0:08:56 > 0:08:59there's only one real bad mistake you can make,
0:08:59 > 0:09:01and that's one that you don't learn from,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03and I think you've learned from this.
0:09:03 > 0:09:04Oh, look, we all get tearful.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Let me give you a cuddle, it's all right, don't worry.
0:09:07 > 0:09:08I know he's taken...
0:09:08 > 0:09:12He's run off with some of your pension fund,
0:09:12 > 0:09:16but, you know, you've got the roof back in place, OK,
0:09:16 > 0:09:19and it's an experience that you can put behind you.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24And, hopefully, he might surface somewhere
0:09:24 > 0:09:28and then, you know, the authorities can take him to task
0:09:28 > 0:09:29for the misery he's causing people.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32Just the fact that you feel so stupid...
0:09:32 > 0:09:35No, that's what I'm trying to say, listen, it happens to everyone.
0:09:35 > 0:09:36It's happened to me.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39You know, I've been taken advantage of
0:09:39 > 0:09:42by not preparing properly and taking someone's recommendation,
0:09:42 > 0:09:45and when they did the work it wasn't good enough.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48Anyone can be taken advantage of,
0:09:48 > 0:09:51and my team were interested to find that Kim Waxman
0:09:51 > 0:09:55wasn't the only victim of Russell Lloyd's ropey roofing.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59We'll discover later how Michael Clarke fell foul of Lloyd
0:09:59 > 0:10:03after handing over £7,500 for a new roof.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08We counted 65 places where the roof was leaking.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16While some contractors seem to take what they can
0:10:16 > 0:10:19from their customers and leave very little in return,
0:10:19 > 0:10:23others go above and beyond to do an amazing job,
0:10:23 > 0:10:25like David Myers.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28He is a tree surgeon and today he's been called out to deal
0:10:28 > 0:10:31with a dangerous and very large beech tree.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36Every year, at least five people are killed in the UK
0:10:36 > 0:10:39by falling trees and branches.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Tree branches can also knock titles of your roof
0:10:42 > 0:10:46and their roots can seriously damage the foundations of your house.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50It's something home owner Eric Briggs knows all about,
0:10:50 > 0:10:53thanks to the 80-foot tree in his front garden.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Over the course of time, the retaining wall
0:10:56 > 0:10:59that was stood behind here, that started failing,
0:10:59 > 0:11:01the foundations were failing due to the roots
0:11:01 > 0:11:03and the whole area here was sinking,
0:11:03 > 0:11:06and potentially a problem with the house, as well, at some points.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09His Stockport home is on a main route into town
0:11:09 > 0:11:12and his dangerous tree has been causing concern.
0:11:13 > 0:11:18When Hurricane Bertha or the remnants of it came through in August,
0:11:18 > 0:11:21we had a major limb come down, it crashed into the roof
0:11:21 > 0:11:24and since then we've had a new roof, so we thought
0:11:24 > 0:11:28maybe it's time now, we have to get rid of the tree, it has to go.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32It's taken months to get everything in order
0:11:32 > 0:11:35to finally get rid of the tree threatening Eric's home.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38It was subject to a tree preservation order,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41meaning he needed permission from the local council to cut it down.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45And the day has finally arrived.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54For tree surgeon David Myers, it's back to basics -
0:11:54 > 0:11:57expert knowledge and strong arms.
0:11:57 > 0:11:58It is very tiring on your body.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01I started in the industry when I was 17 and they told me
0:12:01 > 0:12:04I'd last till I was 25, 30 maximum.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07I'm 41 now, so I've not done so badly.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09It's a bit of a standing joke, really,
0:12:09 > 0:12:11but I do feel it some nights when I get home.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16As a former European pole climbing champion,
0:12:16 > 0:12:18this tree climber still has the knack.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24If you see any arborist or tree surgeon, they're triangular,
0:12:24 > 0:12:27upside down - they have a very thickset upper body
0:12:27 > 0:12:29which is where a lot of your strength is needed,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32and then, lower down, your legs aren't as powerful.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37But it's not just about David's skill.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41Planning the removal of a tree this size on a busy road
0:12:41 > 0:12:42is a very big deal.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Right, so we're just getting set up now,
0:12:45 > 0:12:48we've got the crane down there, traffic management out.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53As you can see from up here, it's quite a big tree,
0:12:53 > 0:12:55but it's not very thick, and that's because
0:12:55 > 0:12:59it's been thinned excessively by a previous contractor.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02Because there's quite a lot of broken branches occurring
0:13:02 > 0:13:05because the weight is out on the ends of the branches.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07So when the wind comes they're swaying around
0:13:07 > 0:13:09and then they're breaking off.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12The excessive thinning has destabilised the tree
0:13:12 > 0:13:17and the potential for more falling branches has worried Eric for weeks.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19I'd hate to think what would happen
0:13:19 > 0:13:22if anybody was walking underneath, if something happened, if a limb
0:13:22 > 0:13:24fell then, especially as we've got a young family next door,
0:13:24 > 0:13:27a primary school across the road and, obviously,
0:13:27 > 0:13:29the parents and kids walking past quite frequently,
0:13:29 > 0:13:32so it's one of those things that's had to happen, I think.
0:13:33 > 0:13:38For David, this particular beech is far from a routine removal.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41It's a bit tricky, this one, because all the branches are twisted
0:13:41 > 0:13:44and there's no real form to the tree, which makes it easier.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Especially if they're upright, it's a lot easier to lift them
0:13:47 > 0:13:51out in one, rather than them being tangled like they are.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54So we need to take our time in getting these branches out
0:13:54 > 0:13:56so we don't snap any.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59Because if we did we'd have an uncontrolled fall to the ground,
0:13:59 > 0:14:01which we don't want with all the people underneath
0:14:01 > 0:14:03and the property, as well.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07The job of removing the branches is planned with military precision.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11The crane operator needs to be in contact with those on the ground,
0:14:11 > 0:14:16who relay information to David, now nearly 70 feet up in the tree.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19Just tell him to send it back up again then and bring it down,
0:14:19 > 0:14:20because the shackles caught up.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24We'll get these cleared, you see, then it will be easier.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Keep going down, over.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32Need another three feet, over.
0:14:35 > 0:14:36OK.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42Find out later if David manages to remove the large
0:14:42 > 0:14:46and dangerous tree, and if Eric's new roof will stay intact.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50OK, whoa, whoa, whoa! Down, down, down, down!
0:14:54 > 0:14:58Not every tradesman takes as much pride in their work.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01Some leave you realising they're not specialists at all.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06Back in Bristol, we discovered another disgruntled customer
0:15:06 > 0:15:09of Russell Lloyd's roofing company.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13Michael Clarke paid £7,500 for a new roof.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17The reason for doing the roof was that I discovered
0:15:17 > 0:15:20that there were seven leaks in the roof and it was starting
0:15:20 > 0:15:22to show in my daughter's ceilings.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25But my next-door neighbour also said that there was a leak coming
0:15:25 > 0:15:28through onto his side of the wall, so something had to be done.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31When Michael's late wife died two and a half years ago,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34she left an insurance policy and Michael felt
0:15:34 > 0:15:38that this would be just enough to cover the repairs.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40Michael ran into Russell Lloyd,
0:15:40 > 0:15:43who seemed to be doing a great job on a neighbour's property,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46and he arranged a meeting on the spot.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51He struck me as a rather cocky and pushy man.
0:15:51 > 0:15:57He was very full of self-confidence and he sold himself hard.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01I wouldn't normally like that, but I wasn't troubled
0:16:01 > 0:16:03because I thought I'd seen the quality of his work.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08The pair came up with an agreed timescale and price
0:16:08 > 0:16:13and Lloyd supplied Michael with a handwritten contract for £4,500.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17It was for new felt, battens, tiles and lead on the roof.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23There would be an additional £3,000 on top of that for extra work.
0:16:24 > 0:16:29The job started well but, after ten days when it wasn't finished,
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Michael began to feel very uneasy.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36After two weeks I went up onto the roof to have a look
0:16:36 > 0:16:40at what had been done, and it was pretty horrifying.
0:16:40 > 0:16:45By that stage he'd started introducing other men to the job,
0:16:45 > 0:16:49and I assumed that these were men who were skilled roofers.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52But, in fact, when I looked at the work the felt had been laid
0:16:52 > 0:16:55very poorly, the battens had been laid very carelessly,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58and I asked him to do them again.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00He said he would. He was very pleasant,
0:17:00 > 0:17:03he was very courteous, he said he'd redo it at his own cost.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09Somewhat reassured, Michael left Lloyd to finish the work.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13But, a week later, Lloyd started complaining about ill health
0:17:13 > 0:17:16and took time off, saying he needed heart surgery.
0:17:16 > 0:17:21The first rainfall occurred, and when I went into the loft
0:17:21 > 0:17:25I discovered the roof was leaking in at least a dozen places.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28I called his partner to have a look at the work
0:17:28 > 0:17:32and, together, we counted 65 places where the roof was leaking.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36Flabbergasted, Michael contacted Lloyd again,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39who said he needed at least two weeks to recover from his operation.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41Michael gave him that time,
0:17:41 > 0:17:45and, in fact, he was never to meet him again.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48So no tiling had been done, no lead work had been done
0:17:48 > 0:17:53and, of course, the felting was leaking in 65 places.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56Michael began chasing Lloyd,
0:17:56 > 0:17:59but when he did some online research he discovered that the roofer
0:17:59 > 0:18:03had numerous complaints and a poor health and safety record.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06He was forced to find another company
0:18:06 > 0:18:10to repair his badly botched roof.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12The initial quote was £4,500.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16But, including the additional work that I paid the contractor to do,
0:18:16 > 0:18:19I ended up paying about £7,500.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22To get the work done properly cost £12,000
0:18:22 > 0:18:25on top of what I'd already paid.
0:18:25 > 0:18:30So, having thought initially I could get a cheap job for £4,500,
0:18:30 > 0:18:33I ended up paying nearly £20,000.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38When I look back, I can't believe how silly I was.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42Michael and Kim both said the same thing -
0:18:42 > 0:18:46Russell Lloyd left them feeling foolish, but it wasn't their fault.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51Back at Kim's house, I've come to have a look at the new roof
0:18:51 > 0:18:55she had to put on to rectify the work done by Lloyd and his firm.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59We had another company come in and, as you can see,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02the actual roof now is absolutely fantastic.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04The solar panels are back on now
0:19:04 > 0:19:07and the house is so hot it's unbelievable.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11In the end we had a good job done for us by the new company, so, yeah, well pleased now.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15You had to write off the first people's money completely,
0:19:15 > 0:19:18so how much has the roof cost you in total, roughly?
0:19:18 > 0:19:21It's about 8,500 in total.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24- And a large chunk of that was your...?- My pension money, yeah.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27I had to sort of dip into that and, obviously,
0:19:27 > 0:19:31the second time around I had to put some funds towards it myself, yeah.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33We can't let him get away with it,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36so we've been in touch with the Health And Safety Executive
0:19:36 > 0:19:39and he's got three convictions for bad practice -
0:19:39 > 0:19:42one of his employees, I think, fell off a scaffold or through
0:19:42 > 0:19:44the roof where it was dangerous -
0:19:44 > 0:19:48and he was also banned for two years from being a director,
0:19:48 > 0:19:52so he might be in contravention of his conditions.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56Lloyd's two-year ban started in February, 2013.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59But, although the company who carried out the work for Kim
0:19:59 > 0:20:03and Michael carried his name, he was not a director of it.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06But, with so many marks against him for unsafe practices,
0:20:06 > 0:20:10it's amazing he's still working in the trade at all.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13So we know now that he's done this to other people, you're not unique.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16- No.- So we've got to try and bring a stop to this.- Brilliant.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18You get in touch with HSCE, and go that way round,
0:20:18 > 0:20:20and we'll try it this way round,
0:20:20 > 0:20:22- and see if we can do a pincer movement on him.- Exactly, yes.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24- It all helps, doesn't it? - Yeah, well, don't worry.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26- Thank you.- Don't worry.- Thank you.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28- It's all right up there now. - Absolutely, yes.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33So what can we learn from Kim and Michael's mistakes?
0:20:33 > 0:20:37Always check out your tradespeople before employing them.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40You can do pretty thorough checks online.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42Even a quick search on their name
0:20:42 > 0:20:45should bring up any complaints from any other customers.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49Don't pay upfront even if it's a small job.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Pay in stages, when each bit of the work is done
0:20:52 > 0:20:54to your satisfaction.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58Even if the work is difficult to get to - like on your roof -
0:20:58 > 0:21:00do make sure you check the work
0:21:00 > 0:21:01that's being done yourself.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03If you're concerned, speak out.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08And if you ever think people aren't working safely
0:21:08 > 0:21:12on your property, get in touch with the Health and Safety Executive.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22Over in Greater Manchester,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25locksmith Chris Walker has been called out by a worried pensioner.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28- It's Chris come to do a job for you, yeah?- That's right.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30Which... This one, and...
0:21:30 > 0:21:32- The one round...- The back one.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34Have you got the key for this?
0:21:34 > 0:21:36- There.- Right.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38Right, no problem. Is the key in the other one?
0:21:38 > 0:21:41- I've just got it on the... - Right, no problem. That's fine.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48George Clark has called Chris out to change his locks
0:21:48 > 0:21:49after an incident the day before
0:21:49 > 0:21:52left him feeling very vulnerable.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56I was in the local library yesterday doing a bit of family history,
0:21:56 > 0:21:58and my car was in the car park.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00I put my coat on the chair
0:22:00 > 0:22:03while I was looking at the film reader,
0:22:03 > 0:22:05just went to do something else,
0:22:05 > 0:22:06went back, got my coat,
0:22:06 > 0:22:08put my hands in my pockets,
0:22:08 > 0:22:09my keys had gone.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11Got outside, the car had gone.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13Anyway, they've got it on camera.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17And they see the fellow... put his hand in my pocket,
0:22:17 > 0:22:20get the keys and go out.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25And losing his trusty car has scuppered George's plans for the weekend.
0:22:28 > 0:22:29Gutted, really. It's, er...
0:22:30 > 0:22:32It's just the inconvenience, really.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36His house keys were also on the bunch stolen,
0:22:36 > 0:22:40so it's left the 84-year-old in fear that his home may now
0:22:40 > 0:22:41be the target for burglars.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44I don't think there's anything in the car that would indicate
0:22:44 > 0:22:46where this house was,
0:22:46 > 0:22:47but you never know.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49There might've been something there
0:22:49 > 0:22:52and you don't want to leave it to chance.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56As a locksmith with 16 years' experience,
0:22:56 > 0:22:59it's only a matter of minutes before Chris has changed the first lock.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02Three new keys for that one.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05You'll have the same to the side door when I've done that one.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09If the customer hasn't got a key then we have to be a little bit longer,
0:23:09 > 0:23:11because I'd have to actually open them
0:23:11 > 0:23:13to get the cylinders out.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15But if the customer's got a set of keys,
0:23:15 > 0:23:17it's only a couple of minutes a door.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20- Right, that's one done, so we're all done now.- Right.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22Three keys for that one.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25I'll just get your key rings out of the back of the car,
0:23:25 > 0:23:28and I'll sort your receipt out for you.
0:23:28 > 0:23:29OK, then, sir?
0:23:30 > 0:23:34New door locks can cost around £40, but you'll pay extra
0:23:34 > 0:23:36for the locksmith's call-out charge or labour.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38But, whatever the charge,
0:23:38 > 0:23:41feeling safe in your home is priceless.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43I feel a lot more confident now.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46Happier now the locks have been changed.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48He could have a bit of peace of mind now for the weekend, at least,
0:23:48 > 0:23:50that his house is secure.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52Hopefully, he gets his car back.
0:23:52 > 0:23:53See you later.
0:24:04 > 0:24:05Down, down, down.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07Keep going down.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09Go, go, go.
0:24:09 > 0:24:10Back in Stockport,
0:24:10 > 0:24:13Eric Briggs is concerned about the safety of this house
0:24:13 > 0:24:15because of a huge 80-foot beech tree
0:24:15 > 0:24:18shedding branches onto his roof.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21So tree surgeon David Myers is cutting the whole thing down.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34But sawing through the branches is just half the job.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36The team now have to get them safely to the ground.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38There we go, so the first one's out.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41My aim now is to clear the section here, all the way up,
0:24:41 > 0:24:44and then I can get good communication lines with the driver
0:24:44 > 0:24:46while the lads deal with that.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50The first branches are safely down to the ground,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53but it's going to be a long day for David.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Can I catch it? Yes, I can!
0:24:56 > 0:24:59Just as well he likes his work!
0:24:59 > 0:25:01A little boy's dream, this job.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03OK, take up the tension.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Got to make sure there's enough on it. OK.
0:25:06 > 0:25:07That's good.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10The key is getting a good driver, as well.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12If you put too much tension on,
0:25:12 > 0:25:15it'll end up flying out of the tree
0:25:15 > 0:25:16and overloading.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19OK. Let's go again.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21STARTS CHAINSAW
0:25:27 > 0:25:29And down on the ground,
0:25:29 > 0:25:31the team are making light work of chopping up
0:25:31 > 0:25:33the tree's massive branches.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35This timber goes to one of the companies
0:25:35 > 0:25:38who we supply on a regular basis.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40They do firewood and they do coal,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43so they will now convert it into logs,
0:25:43 > 0:25:45stack it over the winter to let it dry,
0:25:45 > 0:25:47and next summer it'll go out to customers
0:25:47 > 0:25:49all over the south Manchester area.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52David's tree-surgeon team have hit their stride,
0:25:52 > 0:25:54and the huge beech tree's branches
0:25:54 > 0:25:58are coming down quickly and methodically.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08Specialist work like this really needs to be done by an expert.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11If you're hiring a tree surgeon,
0:26:11 > 0:26:13look for one who is ARB approved,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16carrying the Arboricultural Association mark.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18Check with your local authority
0:26:18 > 0:26:20if your tree has a preservation order on it,
0:26:20 > 0:26:22or if you need permission to remove it.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24The cost of taking down a tree this size
0:26:24 > 0:26:29can be anything from £600-£3,000,
0:26:29 > 0:26:31depending on where you live,
0:26:31 > 0:26:32the type of tree,
0:26:32 > 0:26:34and the equipment needed.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38A few little problems at the end.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41Just getting a bit too tired for the job, really.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43It's been an exhausting job,
0:26:43 > 0:26:46taking David's team more than three hours
0:26:46 > 0:26:48to fell the large beech tree.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50It's gone very well indeed.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53The lads have done a great job, the communication's been good...
0:26:53 > 0:26:55We did have some interference on the intercoms, erm...
0:26:55 > 0:26:57slightly frustrating, you know.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59That's my only grumble of the day, really.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01That, and a sore arm.
0:27:02 > 0:27:03Homeowner Eric is more than happy.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07As instructed, David's left a 12-foot stump
0:27:07 > 0:27:10intact for him, because his wife wants to have it carved.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13Final designs to be agreed yet, but she's got her eyes
0:27:13 > 0:27:17on something like a Hobbit house, or something like that.
0:27:17 > 0:27:18So... Not one of the owls
0:27:18 > 0:27:21like everybody else has got, so, hopefully in the new year,
0:27:21 > 0:27:25things permitting, we'll get something sorted, and get it carved.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36Any one of us could be in a situation such as we've seen today.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38Whether it's an emergency in our own home,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41or falling foul of rogue workmanship.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43So, follow my top tips,
0:27:43 > 0:27:45and, hopefully, it'll be home sweet home.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51We put both Kim and Michael's experiences to Russell Lloyd,
0:27:51 > 0:27:53but he has not responded.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58We also spoke to the Health And Safety Executive
0:27:58 > 0:28:00who are keen to hear from both customers
0:28:00 > 0:28:03if they witnessed unsafe working practices.