Homeowners who were left thousands of pounds out of pocket at the hands of their cowboy builders have revealed the emotional turmoil they have experienced at the hands of their constructors.
Their accounts come amid growing calls for the Government to introduce a statutory licensing scheme which regulates builders and protects customers seeking redress for poor workmanship.
Claire Paladino, 38, and her husband Leo, 43, from Northamptonshire, were keen to build a two-storey extension with a garage on their property in August 2019 when they hired their builder after seeking several quotations.
Describing her experience as absolutely horrendous , Mrs Paladino, who was pregnant at the time with her fourth child, claims she lost the sum of £39,000 to a builder who did not complete work, used cheap materials and whose construction did not pass building regulations.