A £5,500 ($7,289) roofing job left one British homeowner watching rain pour down her wall "like a waterfall," and consumer advocates have warned her experience is far from rare.
Roofing scams were the most common scam reported to the charity Citizens Advice through August, underscoring how easily bad actors take advantage of homeowners, the BBC reported.
Here's what to know
In 2026, the Citizens Advice Consumer Service has logged 9,000 roofing-related complaints covering construction, repairs, and weatherproofing up to August.
Of those, 2,205 were marked as suspected scams — about a quarter of the total, and up from 2,098 as of August 2025.
Roofing accounted for one in 10 of the scams the charity recorded during that period, more than any other category brought to it.
Crystal, a 68-year-old from the Midlands, was pushed into a £5,500 ($7,289) roof replacement, only for the man she hired to send his son to do the work and leave the eaves unfinished.
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"We had heavy rain a couple of weeks after he did the job, and it ended up like a waterfall coming down the wall," she told the BBC.
Dame Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice, explained why roofing scams proliferate.
"Scammers exploit the fact that roofs are out of sight and reach, knowing most people can't easily inspect the work themselves."
More background
Victims also described aggressive and intimidating behavior, and three-quarters of the fraudsters used doorstep sales tactics.
Charlotte, 65, who lives alone in northeastern England, said two men she found online quoted £250 ($331) to fix a leaking gutter, then claimed more work was needed and increased the price to £2,500 ($3,313).
"An hour later they said it was sorted, but they'd found another problem," she recalled.
She ultimately ended up paying £3,500 ($4,638) after it got dark and she became frightened.
"They knew I was alone, I didn't feel like I could deal with anything that might happen after, so I paid £3,500," she said.
She added that there was "no sign" any work had been completed.
Crystal said the job on a shared chimney also caused damage next door, with bricks falling into her neighbor's attic and rain getting into his home.
What can be done?
Citizens Advice said homeowners should slow down before agreeing to roofing work: check references, insist on written details, and be especially cautious of unsolicited visitors or doorknockers citing urgently needed repairs.
If work goes wrong, Citizens Advice recommended documenting it immediately with photos and keeping paperwork and receipts in case a dispute follows or enforcement action becomes necessary.
Traders must give cancellation rights information in writing, and the Consumer Rights Act 2015 allows customers to seek a repair or refund when work lacks "reasonable care and skill."
Lord Bichard, chair of National Trading Standards, vowed that the agency would pursue fraudsters through legal routes. He described rogue traders as "criminals deliberately preying on people in their own homes" and called roofing fraud "particularly cruel."
"Victims can lose life savings in a matter of hours and be left with damaged homes, financial hardship and a profound sense of vulnerability long after the criminals have gone," he said.
Where can I learn more?
Similar problems crop up across other home projects, from storm repairs to paving jobs and roof disputes.
• After major storms, homeowners have faced crooks targeting recovery work and draining their payouts.
• In North Dakota, crews offered discounted asphalt at the door before leaving shoddy paving behind.
• In New Jersey, a homeowner was told they were getting fleeced after an extreme insulation quote.
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