A grandfather has been left 'heartbroken' and 'embarrassed' after paying a £500 deposit to have building work done - only for the builder to take the money and run.
Victor Moore, from Burnley in Lancashire, thought he was being prudent in searching for someone to carry out some repair work on his home using a website which allows users to submit details of jobs they require to be completed. The website then sends the information to companies in their local area.
Victor, who is in his 80s, was then contacted by Oldham-based construction boss David Lee Jones who visited his home and gave Victor a quote of £1,000. Victor says he was then asked to pay a £500 deposit for materials which he agreed to pay in cash after David said his 'bank account isn't working.
Victor's daughter-in-law, Jade Stanley said he has been left 'heartbroken' and 'embarrassed' after the incident. She said Victor already suffers from several health conditions and has a pacemaker fitted.
Describing the circumstances, Jade told LancsLive: "Victor needed some jobs doing and he went onto bark.com and found someone. The guy came round and seemed really nice and asked for £500 for materials. He then gave Victor a sob story saying 'my bank isn't working at the moment' and asked for cash.
"Victor paid him but he hasn't turned up to do the work. Victor rang us saying he was really upset and felt stupid and embarrassed."
LancsLive spoke to David Jones on the phone, the number for which is on the website for his company Rhino Construction NW Ltd, and asked why he hadn't returned the £500 deposit after failing to carry out the work.
Subscribe here for the latest news where you live
"I don't really have much comment on this because this is a matter with the police," David said. "I have got the £500, I haven't spent it."
LancsLive then asked David why he hadn't simply posted the cash or a cheque back to Victor. David then agreed, after being pressed on the issue, to post a cheque within the following seven days.
David confirmed to us that the name of his company is Rhino Construction NW Ltd. Phone numbers and names on the company's website match David's. Documents filed with Companies House show that the limited company has just one director; David Lee Jones born in September 1990.
Rhino Construction NW, set up in January 2023, is registered at Primrose Hill Court in Oldham. David Jones' details, published on Companies House, show he lives in Littleborough in Oldham.
There are several other, unrelated, companies going by the name Rhino Construction or similar versions. David confirmed he was aware of this and when asked why he had chosen the name 'Rhino' replied: "Because I'm a big lad."
