Rogue trader must pay compensation after failing to complete landscaping, decking and block paving jobs

Craig Parker, trading as RJL Block Paving and Landscapes and C&P Block Paving and Landscapes, received almost £6,000 in total from three customers for garden landscaping, decking and block paving jobs.

After receiving deposits for each of the three jobs between June 2019 and July 2020, he failed to adequately complete any of the work paid for.

On two occasions, apart from some initial digging out, no work was done at all.

The standard was so poor in the third case that a chartered surveyor declared his decking work to be of no value and that there was little prospect of the wood used being salvageable.

Despite promising refunds to his customers, none ever materialised and Teesside Crown Court has now ordered that a total of £2,400 in compensation be paid across the three customers.

Parker, 39, of Neasham Avenue, in Billingham, also received a 12-month jail term, which was suspended for 12 months, after pleading guilty to three offences of engaging in unfair commercial practices at an earlier hearing.

In mitigation, he said that family issues had led him to take on more work than he could manage.

Jamie McCann, Stockton Borough Council’s director of community services and transport, said afterwards: “I hope this serves as a lesson to Mr Parker and as a warning to others that our Trading Standards team robustly investigate reports of unfinished and substandard work.”

The council’s trading standards team can be reached at (01642) 526560 or by emailing [email protected]

Support your Mail and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news, the latest football stories and new puzzles every day.

With a digital subscription, you can see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.