BEWARE – Rogue traders posing as council workers

I had a report tonight of 3 men posing as workers from the Council.  They had accents like they were from the middle east.

 

The ‘workers’ knocked on several doors in a road in Hornchurch.

They told people answering the door that they were from the council and were cleaning gutters, removing trees etc.

They wanted to charge anywhere from £100 for a small job (like spending 5 mins cleaning the gutters).

Today they knocked at a home of a vulnerable gentleman who was (at that stage) home alone. The men start attacking a tree in his garden BEFORE getting permissions to do so. Hacking at the tree with a machete, and axe and their bare hands!!

Although they had a chainsaw with them, they did not use it on the tree in the mans garden – but did cut a shape into the tree outside of his garden – was this to identify the house to other rogue traders?

Some of the neighbours seeing this started to take photos and approached these men.

10 minutes after they started they asked the gentleman living at the address to pay (£300) and quickly left leaving the tree in a sad state.

Please be aware and watch out for these people  – I have had similar reports in neighbouring towns. They are probably working this area and may move on soon.
They are NOT from the council and have done a very poor job for a lot of money.
If you see them phone the police. Do not allow them to start any work.
If they have started work, tell them to stop and leave and not to return.   DO NOT PAY THEM

 

Author: Paul Middleton

Paul is a Ward Councillor for St. Andrews & Hornchurch Resident's Association Executive member.

1 thought on “BEWARE – Rogue traders posing as council workers

  1. I have recently received multiple knocks on my front door from people both men and women
    in theit 20s collecting for Battersea Dogs home ,the first 2 occasions we werent at home and our ring doorbell alerted us , but the third time we was home and i went out to confront them and informed them that knocking on the door after dark at 8pm of an evening is unacceptable and im not interested , they reply was” we work late ” then the gentleman moved on – i beleive this is a scam ,please forward this on – Hornchurch /Upminster area

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