A cowboy builder has been ordered to pay £15,000 compensation to customers after leaving homeowners with botched roofs, walls and drains. 

Matthew Talbot, trading as Talbuild & Decorating, failed to complete agreed home renovations or carry them out to a satisfactory standard.

In July 2022, the Trading Standards department of South Tyneside Council started to receive complaints from numerous residents, who had paid Talbot money for botched or incomplete works to roofs, walls and drains - and then had to pay other tradespeople to complete the jobs.

Quotes, invoices and contracts provided by Talbot to the complainants did not properly identify the trading entity as required.

On some occasions, his paperwork provided two different business names on a single document.

In South Shields Magistrates Court last week, Talbot pleaded guilty to two counts of offences of operating unfair commercial practices under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, relating to works at two separate properties.

He also pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to provide appropriate information under the Companies Act 2006.

Talbot was given a 12-month Conditional Discharge.

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He was ordered to pay compensation of £10,000 to one household and £5,000 to another. He was also ordered to pay £5,000 towards prosecution costs.

Following the court case, Cllr Jim Foreman, Lead Member for Housing and Community Safety at South Tyneside Council, said: "This rogue trader behaved appallingly towards his customers. They paid him their hard-earned money for what they thought would work of a high standard and be carried out professionally. Unfortunately, they got neither.

"I am pleased that the hard work of our Trading Standards department has resulted in this successful prosecution and compensation for our residents."