I have a busy lifestyle working at a law firm and am fortunate to own three properties.

Earlier this year I purchased a semi-detached house in Oxford. The roof and guttering needed replacing.

I did a quick search online and found one who seemed to have fairly decent reviews.

In my haste to get the job done quickly, I paid for the work, costing thousands of pounds, upfront. I was back in London while a lot of the work was being done.

The roofer has scarpered before finishing the job. The guttering hasn't been done, and he's left scaffolding up which is leaning against my disgruntled neighbour's property.

He is not returning my calls. What are my options? I imagine I'm just going to have to give in and pay for another roofer to come out.

Jane Denton, of the Daily Mail, says: Roofers have been labelled the least trustworthy tradespeople in findings by the tradesperson directory Checkatrade. Driveway and patio workers were ranked the second worst.

Towards the end of last year, 16 per cent of all roofers who applied to feature on Checkatrade had their membership application rejected. 

Checkatrade said: 'Generally, it's a high-risk category because it's an area of our homes we can't easily see, causing us to place high trust in any individual that tells us something's wrong up there.'

Always try and get at least three quotes from different tradespeople to ensure you have a better idea of how much you should be paying for the job. Trade associations or firms verifying tradespeople can be useful to help you find a reputable tradesperson, though problems can still crop up. 

Knowing which reviews to trust online is difficult. While not always possible, getting recommendations from people you know is often best.

In terms of how payments for renovation works function, it is typical to be quoted an hourly rate for labour costs on smaller jobs, and a day rate for larger projects. As you have realised, paying the entire amount upfront is never a good idea.  

While too late in your case, next time, before you hand over any money, ask for the deposit amount to be specified in the quote or contract. Be cautious of paying anything over 10 per cent of the overall project value as a deposit. Do not pay the deposit in cash as it cannot be traced.  

Try to contact your rogue roofer in writing. Send a clear message or letter giving him a short deadline to finish the work or refund you.

If you paid by credit card, contact your bank as you may be able to get your money back under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. For debit cards, ask for a chargeback.

Keep all evidence of your dealings with the roofer, including quotes, emails, texts, receipts, photos of unfinished work, and even the van’s registration number if you have it. Consider reporting the roofer to Trading Standards. 

Another option later down the line would be to consider taking the roofer to the small claims court if you do not receive a response from him. You can usually do this online for jobs under £10,000.

In the interim, it would be sensible to start looking for a reputable roofer who can finish the job. 

 I asked two experts for their thoughts on your case. 

James Naylor, a partner at Naylor Solicitors, says: A contractor walking off mid-job is infuriating, but there is a sequence that may help protect both the house and your position. 

Assuming the roofer is not coming back, I think you need to think practically. This might mean spending more money.

Start by stabilising the property. Arrange an urgent inspection by an independent roofer or surveyor, and commission temporary weatherproofing to prevent water ingress. 

Keep dated photographs, invoices, copies of any texts or emails, and a short note of each call you make. Those records will underpin any claim and show you acted to minimise loss.

Identify the scaffolding company - tags on the poles and delivery notes usually reveal it - and confirm who is currently liable for hire charges, and schedule removal. 

If the structure crosses the boundary, ask your neighbour for short-term written permission for access and give a firm removal date. 

A measured apology and a reasonable contribution for proven inconvenience can defuse tension and head off a complaint.

Next, assemble the paper trail. In the absence of a formal contract things like quotations, specifications, payment receipts and promotional material, coupled with your correspondence, will be your evidence. 

Obtain an independent report setting out the defective and unfinished items and a costed programme for completion. This will become the yardstick for any money you recover.

What legal claim would they make? 

Your legal route would be a breach of contract claim seeking both repayment, and the reasonable extra cost of finishing or rectifying the works. It could also include related losses, such as any costs to get the scaffolding removed. 

Send a formal letter of claim, with your evidence and photographs, giving a short deadline to remedy or pay. Also request insurance details. 

Before issuing, check whether you benefit from legal expenses cover under any household or landlord policy, as it can fund advice and litigation. 

Where sums are significant, a solicitor’s pre-action letter often prompts engagement or disclosure of insurers and may narrow the issues.

Proceed to litigation with eyes open. If the contractor has vanished, serving proceedings may be difficult. 

For companies, service at the registered office will usually suffice; for sole traders, you may need a reliable last known address or a trace. Without valid service the case can stall. 

Even with a judgment, enforcement is not automatic. Consider whether the defendant has assets or ongoing trade to satisfy an order. A paper judgment against an insolvent or untraceable trader is worth only the value of the paper it is written on.

For future projects, insist on a written contract with staged payments against milestones, verify insurance and recent references, keep upfront payments to evidenced materials only, and consider a surveyor’s periodic inspections. 

Structured precautions at the start are far cheaper than rescue work at the end.

Clive Holland, a broadcaster at Fix Radio, says: It’s an easy trap to fall into when you’re busy, but paying a tradesperson upfront is one of the most common and costly renovation mistakes. 

Once you’ve handed over the full amount, you lose all leverage if the work isn’t finished or done to the right standard.

The golden rule is simple - treat home improvements like a restaurant meal. If they asked you to pay before eating, you’d say no. The same rules apply here. 

Good tradespeople will always agree to staged payments, taking a small deposit, usually around 10 per cent to 20 per cent, to secure the work, with further payments tied to progress and a final balance only once the job is complete. 

This last stage – known as 'snagging' – allows you to walk through the work, flag any issues or unfinished elements, and make sure you are satisfied before releasing the final payment.

Before any work begins, make sure you get a detailed written quote that breaks down labour, materials, timescales, and payment stages. 

A reputable tradesperson will be transparent about how they charge and what is included. Ask if they have done similar jobs you can view – good contractors are proud of their work and happy to show you previous projects. This gives you confidence that they can deliver what they promise.

Even if their van isn’t branded, take note of the registration number and keep it on file in case you need to make a report later. 

Always ask to see their liability insurance certificate and check that it covers both you and their workers on-site. 

Then, inform your own home insurer before the job starts – not all policies automatically cover renovation work, and it is better to confirm this in advance than find out later.

It’s also worth doing a quick Companies House search to see if the business has any County Court Judgments or outstanding debts against it. These are red flags that can help you avoid problems before they start.

The best tradespeople don’t mind checks – they will happily show you insurance documents, references, and a payment plan and take as much pride in trust as they do in craftsmanship. A proper tradesman wants a happy client, not an unhappy shortcut.