Citizens Advice says roofing scams are leaving people thousands of pounds out of pocket
A growing number of consumers are being scammed out of thousands of pounds by rogue roofers - who are inventing non-existent problems, charging for phantom repairs and targeting people on their doorstep.
Suspected roofing scams were the top scam the Citizens Advice Consumer Service saw in the last year, making up 10% of goods or service complaints flagged as scams.
A shocking one in four of all the roofing complaints it received in the same period were suspected scams.
With advisers routinely helping consumers left thousands of pounds out of pocket, the charity is revealing its latest findings as part of its annual Scams Awareness campaign, which kicks off today (12th October).
Roofing work covers everything from construction to repairs and weatherproofing. Consumers reported ‘traders’ disappearing with their money, being tricked into paying for work not carried out, damage or issues being invented, aggressive sales tactics, demands for payment which left them feeling intimidated and being grossly overcharged.
The charity found fraudsters used doorstep sales tactics in a staggering three quarters (77%) of suspected roofing scams, making it the most common method deployed to catch homeowners out.
These scams were part of almost 9,000 roofing-related complaints received by the Citizens Advice Consumer Service - equivalent to one every 13 minutes.
Charlotte’s story: ‘I was afraid - there were two men at my door in the dark, demanding money and making it clear they weren’t moving’.
Charlotte is 65 and lives alone in north east England. She was targeted by rogue roofers last winter after posting an ad on a popular online platform, designed to connect consumers with quality traders. She had a minor problem - a dripping sound from her gutters when it rained. Straight after posting the ad, Charlotte answered the phone to two men who said they could come that day to service and repair the gutters for £250.
Charlotte said: “They came at 4pm and went to the back of the house with lamps and ladders. They rang the door 20 minutes later, and said water was splashing out of the gutters and damaging the wood underneath the roof - that I needed ‘eave protection’ or the rain would cause more damage.
“They said they could do the work now for £2,500, and that other companies would charge me almost double. They said I should do it because it was very rainy and the rain would damage my house more, so I agreed. An hour later they said it was sorted, but they’d found another problem. They showed me a little bucket full of cement, saying it was crumbling under the tiles and there would be leaks if I didn’t get it sorted now.
“I was afraid, two men in front of me in the dark, demanding money and making it clear they weren’t moving. They knew I was alone, I didn’t feel like I could deal with anything that might happen after, so I paid £3,500.
“The next day there was no trace that any work was done. I felt stupid, and tried to contact them, but couldn’t get through.”
Charlotte called Citizens Advice for help, and dealt with Trading Standards and the Financial Ombudsman Service, in efforts to resolve the issue and eventually secure a refund from her bank.
She also received £800 in compensation from the online platform she used to post the ad. Charlotte was told the traders were previously expelled from the site - but had re-registered under a different name and address, and had scammed other people in the area.
Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said:
“Poor quality work is an issue in the roofing sector. But there’s a difference between a roofer who does a shoddy job, and a scammer who commits a calculated crime - designed solely to extort money from homeowners.
“Scammers exploit the fact that roofs are out of sight and reach, knowing most people can’t easily inspect the work themselves.
“Our advisers help thousands of people caught out by roofing scams each year. With the impacts often devastating - leaving people thousands of pounds out of pocket - we’re urging consumers to make thorough checks before agreeing to building work.”
Jane Parsons, Consumer Expert at Citizens Advice, shared her top tips on how to avoid rogue traders - and what to do if you have a problem with home repair work.
Find a good trader you can trust: Your local council might be able to offer you a list of traders.
The trader may also belong to a trade association, so you can check if it offers any support. Read more about how to find traders you can trust on our website.
Check if the trader is genuine: Be wary of anyone offering to deliver unsolicited work, either by knocking on your door or calling you on the phone. Ask for references and make sure you get everything in writing, including details of any work you agree. Be wary of traders who won’t put anything in writing, only accept cash or want you to pay everything upfront.
Gather evidence: If there’s a problem caused by a trader, you should be able to get it fixed or get some money back. Gather paperwork and receipts, take photos to use as evidence, and make notes about what’s happened - including times and dates.
Know your rights: Your rights will vary depending on your situation - you can find more advice on our website. If a trader is at your home when you agree to roofing work, you have 14 days to cancel. The trader has to give you the information about your right to cancel in writing. If a trader hasn’t done a good job with ‘reasonable care and skill’, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 entitles you to ask for the problem to be fixed or for a refund.
Contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service to report a problem or if you need more help - a trained adviser can give you advice over the phone or online.
Lord Bichard, Chair of National Trading Standards, said:
“Roofing fraud is a particularly cruel crime because it turns the place where people should feel safest - their own home - into a source of fear. Criminals invent urgent problems that are difficult for homeowners to verify, then use intimidation and pressure to extract thousands of pounds. Victims can lose life savings in a matter of hours and be left with damaged homes, financial hardship and a profound sense of vulnerability long after the criminals have gone.
“These are not simply traders doing a bad job. They are criminals deliberately preying on people in their own homes, and we are determined to bring them to justice. Recent sentences following one of our most significant roofing fraud investigations show the consequences can be severe. Anyone who uses fear and deception to exploit homeowners should be in no doubt: Trading Standards will pursue you and you can expect to pay a heavy price.”
John Herriman, Chief Executive of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), said:
“Rogue roofers are causing significant financial and emotional harm to consumers, often targeting people in their own homes through high-pressure doorstep tactics and exploiting trust to commit what are, in many cases, serious criminal offences.
“These cases highlight the urgent need for stronger safeguards in the home improvement sector. Alongside developing a government backed Approved Code Scheme with the Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman that will better protect consumers, CTSI continues to call for a mandatory licensing scheme for home improvement businesses. These changes will help drive up standards, improve accountability and make it harder for rogue traders to operate. Consumers deserve confidence that those carrying out work on their homes are competent, trustworthy and subject to effective oversight.”
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Notes to editors:
Our Scams Awareness Campaign aims to: give people skills to identify scams; encourage people to share their experiences with scams; and help people gain the confidence to report scams. The campaign is led by Citizens Advice in collaboration with the Consumer Protection Partnership (CPP). Our 2026 campaign runs from 12th to 25th October.
From 01/09/2025 - 31/08/2026, the Citizens Advice Consumer Service received 22,112 goods or service complaints marked as scams, of which 2,205, or 10%, were roofing-related scams.
From 01/09/2025 - 31/08/2026, the Citizens Advice Consumer Service received 8,985 complaints about roofing, roof sealing and chimney repairs - up from 8,136 during the same period in 2024/25.
Of the total number of roofing complaints received in 2025/26, 2,205 (1 in 4, or 25%) were flagged as suspected scams, up from 2,098 during the same period 2024/25.
During the 2025/26 period, Citizens Advice gave advice on issues with ‘roofing, roof sealing and chimney repairs’ to one person every 13 (13.52) minutes. This calculation is based on the number of complaints (8,985) and the service’s opening days and hours.
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