Rogue roofer scammed elderly Preston householder out of thousands of pounds

Lancashire County Council's Trading Standards team launched an investigation after the Preston homeowner came forward with concerns about work that had been done to his roof by Alpine Roofing & Building Ltd – which was later valued to be worthless.

Scott Smith, the director of the company that carried out the work, was handed a five-month suspended prison sentence at Preston Crown Court on May 5, 2026 after pleading guilty to performing substandard and misdescribed roofing work.

Smith, of Wanstead Street, Preston, also received a four-month curfew from 9.30pm–6.30am, as well as a three-year director disqualification and he was ordered to pay compensation of £450.

The Court heard how Smith had responded to a call from the householder who had found him after an online search of roofing websites. The householder was experiencing a leak after storm damage to his roof. 

After discussions with the roofer, the householder agreed to repair works costing £13,000 – with £6,000 requested before work began. After he paid with his bank card, the work began that day. The following day, work continued, but Smith wanted paying the remaining money. The householder did not have this to hand and despite pressure by Smith, he did not pay. No further work was carried out and Smith and his workers did not return.

An independent expert who assessed the work found that it was worthless.  Whilst the ridge and hip tiles had been repointed, but unsatisfactorily, no work had been carried out replacing the affected roof area as had been agreed, a job which would normally be done before the repointing of ridge or hip tiles. 

The householder was left devastated and had to get another trader in to make good the roofing works and locate and fix the initial leak, leaving him with further expenses of £450. The householder secured a refund of £6,000 via his bank as he had paid by card.

Councillor Joshua Roberts, cabinet member for Rural Affairs, Environment and Communities at Lancashire County Council, said:

"Our Trading Standards team works tirelessly to protect residents from rogue traders who take advantage of people in our communities, leaving victims dealing with financial hardship and lasting emotional distress.

“An 82-year-old Preston resident was left facing further problems and considerable financial stress as he tried to deal with the unfinished and substandard roof repairs carried out by Scott Smith.

"Scott Smith took substantial upfront payments while failing to deliver work or completing it to a poor standard. Thanks to our officers, he has received a criminal conviction and been disqualified from becoming a company director. This case sends a strong message that we will do everything we can to protect our residents in Lancashire.”

To report a rogue trader, call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133. For trusted local businesses, visit Lancashire’s Safe Trader Scheme at www.safetrader.org.uk