Dozens 'ripped off' in £500,000 building 'scam'
More than 30 customers have reported losing nearly £500,000 in deposits to South Coast Construction (Sussex) Ltd for building projects that were never completed. The company's director denies intentional fraud, while police have launched an investigation into the allegations.
Why it matters
This highlights the risks consumers face in the home improvement sector and the potential for significant financial loss due to predatory business practices.
Image caption, Sian and Simon Romsey say they lost nearly £16,000 after paying a deposit to secure a start date for work to create their dream family home
More than 30 customers claim they were scammed after paying deposits totalling nearly £500,000 for building work that was not delivered, the BBC has learned.
The BBC has heard from 13 of those customers who say they paid tens of thousands of pounds to South Coast Construction (Sussex) Ltd (SCC), which operated in Dorset, Hampshire, Sussex and Surrey.
Sussex Police said it was investigating "a number of reports of alleged fraud" in connection with the company.
SCC's director strongly denied he had deliberately scammed customers, saying he did not take customers' money without intending to carry out the work and he was "deeply sorry" to all those affected.
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