A rogue trader who took cash from an elderly lady to remove asbestos from her garden when he was not licensed to do so has been prosecuted.
The case against Darrel Skeet, 28, of Meadow Rise, Brynna, was brought by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Trading Standards team and is yet another example of the proactive, professional work being undertaken in order to protect the public.
Officers were forced to take action after receiving a complaint from an 80-year-old woman who had employed Skeet, trading as DS Gardening Services and Waste Removal Specialists, to remove waste from her garden, including asbestos, and repair a garden wall.
Skeet quoted the pensioner a price of £168.30 and took a deposit of just over £50. He returned days later to finish the work and took another £140 off the old lady as payment for the job.
After he had left, she realised wood she had paid him to remove was still in her garden and the wall had not been repaired. Despite numerous telephone calls and letters made to Skeet asking him to return and complete the job, he failed to do so.
Trading Standards were contacted and also discovered that Skeet had failed to give his customers the necessary cancellation of contract rights, as set out by law. Because the complainant had agreed to the work while in her own home, she should have been provided with a cancellation notice, under the 2008 legislation.
She did not receive such a notice. Checks with the Health and Safety Executive also uncovered that Darrel Skeet and the firm did not hold a license to work with asbestos, nor has he ever applied for such a license.
Enquiries with the Environment Agency uncovered the fact Skeet was not a registered waste carrier.
As a result, he was charged with five offences relating to The Cancellation of Contracts Made In A Consumer’s Home Or Place Of Work etc Regulations 2008, falsely claiming to be a licensed waste carrier and asbestos remover, contrary to The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.
He admitted the charges at Pontypridd Magistrates’ Court this month and was fined a total of £550, ordered to pay £200 costs and pay £50 compensation to the pensioner.
Meredith Davies, defending, told the court Mr Skeet had gone into this line of work briefly in a bid to make money, without realising the cost of disposing with the matter. He made no money from the work so has since given it up.
David Jones, Head of Community Protection at Rhondda Cynon Taf Council. Said: “We are determined to ensure those who offer their services to the public are open, honest and legal.
“In this particular case, a workman offered to carry out work, including the handling of material that can be dangerous if not dealt with by licensed experts, he was not licensed to undertake.
“We had no option to take legal action and are pleased the court has supported us in this matter, taken on behalf of an 80-year-old woman.
“I hope this serves as an important reminder that we do take such offences seriously, for the benefit of the public and also those members of the trade who work hard to operate legally and considerately.
“I hope it also reassures the public that we are here to act on their behalf.”
