A grandmother has told how her roof was left “hanging off” after she was preyed on by rogue insulation traders.
Mary Melvin from Alexandria in West Dunbartonshire, lost thousands after an unknown firm turned up one day last month to offer an entire new roof.
The 69-year-old shelled out £9,000 on repairs, which included a £3,500 deposit and a five-year loan plan with the bank.
But when she immediately found damage to her property the company vanished out of sight.
It comes as officials at Advice Direct Scotland revealed that Sots are losing more than £10,000 to rogue traders who are targeting the elderly.
The charity are warning that cowboy contractors are promising to lower bills for vulnerable residents amidst the energy crisis – by winter-proofing their homes.
Mary, a former distillery worker said: “They turned up one day offering to do the work and I just took them at face value.
“After noticing some damage, I’ve struggled to get a hold of the firm. I don’t know if they have gone bust or what has happened with them, but the work was meant to be guaranteed for about 20 years.
“I just can’t get a hold of them at all. I don’t know if they were a genuine company or if they were just chancing their arm by going round the doors.
“The corner of the roof is coming away and hanging off, and a couple of pieces have fallen to the ground.”
Advice Direct Scotland which runs a scam reporting tool at consumeradvice.scot found that households across the country have lost a whopping £661,586 to insulation-related scams over the past two years.
In 2023/24 alone, £197,762 was lost, but reports have more than doubled in the current financial year. As of January 31, the total amount lost in 2024/25 stood at £463,824.
The worrying figures show that residents are losing £10,786 every week to scams, with the true number feared to be even higher with many incidents unreported.
Scammers are doorstepping vulnerable OAPs and worried residents telling them that they need urgent repairs. They have also lied about government funding and ‘ghost’ council contracts which don’t exist.
In one case reported to Advice Direct Scotland, cold callers offered to line a roof with special paint that they claimed would protect their home against frost.
The resident was scammed out of £2,000 for the job, with workers leaving behind damage to the roof including slates and guttering.
Hazel Knowles, senior project lead for Advice Direct Scotland, said: “These scammers are ruthless. They will dupe people into thinking they need insulation, then fit substandard materials which cause damp or damage the house – and then have the gall to go back and try to convince the homeowner to pay them to rip it out again.
“Cold callers often approach householders to offer free ‘roof assessments’. Once in their home, they tell them they need roof work, insulation or insulation removal.
“But these cold callers cannot be trusted and often try to get homeowners to sign up for work they don’t need.
“Instead, seek out traders who are affiliated to trusted trader schemes.
“If you’re concerned or need help, contact one of our specialist consumer advisers for free, impartial, and practical advice at 0808 164 6000 or visit www.consumeradvice.scot.
“Stay informed and protect yourself from scams – and reach out to us for support.”
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond.Sign up to our daily newsletter.