Two rogue traders snared by Moray Council’s Trading Standards team have pleaded guilty to a series of scams.
Two rogue traders snared by Moray Council’s Trading Standards team pleaded guilty to a series of scams yesterday.
Larry and Jerry Connors, trading as Tayside Drives, targeted elderly and vulnerable residents in Moray in 2015 with offers of work that was overpriced and of poor quality. When they sought payment, they used bully-boy tactics and threats to force their victims to part with cash.
One elderly Elgin woman, Mary Brander (now deceased), was charged £3,200 for driveway repairs that were valued at less than a third of that. The pair refused to leave Mrs Brander’s premises until she paid them the cash.
Another victim refused to pay, and the pair threatened violence to her and her children. When she still refused they smashed the work they had done.
Speaking after the hearing in Elgin Sheriff Court yesterday (Tues (15th), Trading Standards officer, Muriel Allan, said everyone needs to be vigilant to scams and rogue dealers.
“We would urge all residents to engage tradesmen from a known company or from reliable recommendation, and never to accept an offer of work on the doorstep. No bona fide business seeks work like that,” she said.
“These traders often use misleading or intimidating practices to obtain large amounts of money from Moray’s most vulnerable consumers, particularly the elderly.
“Common complaints include poor quality of work, quoting a low initial price which goes up significantly because of “extra work” and using threatening or intimidating behaviour to make sure they get paid.
“Trading Standards rely on information from the public to help identify the rogues. Every bit of information on problem traders helps us prevent people being ripped off.”
The two men, who gave address in England, will be sentenced at a later date.See Press and Journal report here
Famous for its colony of dolphins, fabulous beaches and more malt whisky distilleries than any where else in Scotland, Moray is a thriving area and a great place to live. Nestling between Aberdeenshire and the Highlands, Moray stretches from Tomintoul in the south to the shores of the Moray Firth, from Keith in the east to Brodie Castle in the west.