A Bilston mother-of-two has described her 'daily hell' after a cowboy builder left her home with a botched bedroom conversion, a leaking ceiling, and a staggering £17,000 repair bill.
A Dream Project Turns Into a Nightmare
Verona Langston, 62, who is registered disabled, commissioned builder Neil Parker in April 2023 to convert an extension into a ground-floor bedroom and shower room. The project was crucial for Mrs Langston after a 'really bad' fall down a flight of stairs left her with cracked ribs and a fear of using the stairs again.
She initially met Parker, 53, who traded under P&B Garden Buildings, at a party where he quoted £14,000 for the work. Despite her initial hesitation, Mrs Langston ultimately hired him, a decision she would soon regret.
Problems began 'from day one', she said. The work was shoddy, and she felt compelled to constantly point out errors. The situation escalated when Parker allegedly told workers she hadn't paid him, potentially putting her in a vulnerable position.
The Shocking List of Defects
The botched job left the new room completely 'unusable'. The litany of faults included:
- A leaky ceiling with multiple points of entry for rainwater.
- A wonky and uneven floor.
- 'Atrocious' plastering work.
- A window and door that were neither watertight nor fully functional.
- Faulty electrics that do not work.
Mrs Langston also claimed Parker brought fence panels from another job to her property in an attempt to burn them, despite her and her son having asthma.
Life in Limbo and the Fight for Justice
The ordeal has forced Mrs Langston to 'live' in her living room, where her bed is now located. Despite her severe mobility issues, she is forced to navigate the stairs daily to use the shower upstairs, often having to go up and down on her backside.
'It doesn't feel like home anymore,' she told BirminghamLive. 'It's like being on a Ferris wheel and you cannot get off.'
She took Parker to Wolverhampton Crown Court, where he was sentenced on October 30. He admitted one charge under the Fraud Act and five under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations.
Parker, of Lichfield Road, Wednesfield, escaped jail. He was handed a 20-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. He was also placed on a tag with a curfew for three months and ordered to do 20 days of work with the probation service.
The court ordered him to pay £2,000 in compensation to Mrs Langston, which is being paid at a rate of just £60 per month. She said this offer is little consolation for the scale of the problem, stating, 'That's not going to help me with anything.'
Adding to her distress, West Midlands Police visited her home on November 4, following a report that she had been sending threats to Parker, which she vehemently denies.
With the stress of the unfinished extension, her divorce, and the constant anxiety whenever it rains, Mrs Langston fears she may have to sell the home she has lived in since 2005. Her story serves as a stark warning about the devastating impact of cowboy builders.
