Crime Solicitors

The director of a roofing company has been jailed for 27 months, after being found guilty of fraudulent trading in several areas in Buckinghamshire.

Kumarapan Kunaratnam targeted elderly and vulnerable residents – some of whom were in their nineties – with a package of roofing work that was unnecessary, of poor quality and overpriced.

At Aylesbury Crown Court on Friday, 9 June 2017, Kunaratnam – of Peterborough Road in Harrow in Middlesex – admitted three counts of carrying on a business for fraudulent purposes during 2014 and 2015.

The court heard that Kunaratnam had acted as a salesman for Future Homes Development Ltd – and was also sole director for Top Home Roofing Ltd and Top Home Group Ltd. Elderly and vulnerable residents were cold called and left a marketing leaflet about roofing repairs, which contained false claims about the materials used.

Kunaratnam would then “price up” the job and offer a misleading discount and obtain a signed contract, with no explanation of a cooling off period or cancellation rights. By signing the contract, the residents inadvertently waived their statutory cancellation rights. Contractors would turn up to start the work either the next day, or a few days later.

The court was told that, in one case, work was quoted at £8,096 and reduced on discount to just over £4,500 – however, an expert said the total cost of a new roof would be less than this and the work done was only worth just over £600. Kunaratnam quoted for this work, despite the fact the householder had had his roof cleaned only six months earlier for £200.

In another case, Kunaratnam discounted the price by £2,000 – but left such a mess around the house and garden, with loose mortar and broken tiles, that the resident's nephew tried to get hold of the company to complain. However, when he phoned, he found the company had ceased trading.

The expert subsequently confirmed the works had been carried out so poorly they had no value.

Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards officers and Thames Valley Police started investigating Kunaratnam's activities after a tip-off from the family of one of the eight victims.

They visited the three homes in Chesham, one in Little Chalfont, two in Thame, and others in Staines and Datchet with chartered surveyor Charles Leigh-Dugmore, who inspected and costed the value of the works.

Mr Leigh-Dugmore told the court that customers had been grossly overcharged for work that was unnecessary, of poor standard – or not carried out at all.

Judge Tulk said Kunaratnam’s actions were premeditated, being involved in the production of leaflets containing false claims about building materials used and cold calling, as well as sub-contracting the work and taking payments – and called him the “brains and hands of the company”.

Kunaratnam was ordered to pay compensation of £10,000 and was banned from being a company director for ten years.

Anne Wight, Buckinghamshire County Council's Deputy Cabinet Member for Community Engagement, paid tribute to the meticulous Trading Standards and Police investigation.

“This case gives a very clear message to those who would prey on our elderly and vulnerable residents that we'll go to great lengths in striving to make Buckinghamshire a no go area for doorstep criminals.”

Duncan Lewis Criminal Lawyers

Duncan Lewis fraud lawyers can advise at any stage of a charge involving fraud or serious fraud, including charges relating to: