A rogue builder has been ordered to pay thousands of pounds of compensation after carrying out dangerous work at a property.

Sebastian Tomczak, 44, of Watchfield was found guilty of two breaches of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations Act 2008 and a fraud offence and was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on October 11.

He had also previously pleaded guilty to two further consumer protection offences at an earlier hearing.

Read More: 'Abhorrently loud' preacher hit with Swindon town centre ban after complaints

Tomczak has been contracted to carry out gas, electrical and structural works at a property in Marlborough between August and October 2022, despite not being a registered member of a Competent Persons Scheme allowing him to self-certify for electrical works or being on the Gas Safe register.

He fraudulently issued the householders with an inspection certificate for the electrical work, claiming it had been signed off by an electrician who had not visited the property.

However the homeowner, who was concerned about the safety of the work, arranged for a qualified electrician to inspect the installation and much of the work was found to be dangerous and did not comply with building regulations.

Gas Safe later inspected the work and agreed it was unsafe.

A council Senior Building Control Surveyor visited the property in December 2022 and found that an internal load-bearing wall had been removed and required remedial work by a structural engineer.

Read More: Popular restaurant now up for sale after permanent closure

Meanwhile, they also discovered that the cavity around the patio doors installed by Tomczak was not closed properly, likely to lead to damp development in the future.

Cllr Dominic Muns, Cabinet Member for Public Protection said: “Rogue builders aren't always easy to spot and can cause misery by carrying out incomplete work or work that is to an unacceptable standard.

“We promote builders and businesses that we know to be safe, fair and compliant as great examples and would advise residents to use an approval scheme such as Buy With Confidence when they are looking for businesses to carry out work.

“If anyone believes they have been the victim of a rogue trader, they should call Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.”

Tomczak was given a 12-month community order, must carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and was ordered to pay compensation of £4,669.40 to the victims – an amount equal to the cost of correcting the work he had carried out.

Help support trusted local news

Sign up for a digital subscription now: https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/subscribe/

As a digital subscriber, you will get:            

  • Unlimited access to the Swindon Advertiser website        
  • Advert-light access             
  • Reader rewards             
  • Full access to our app