Staffordshire Police has been made aware of a roofing scam that residents on Birchwood Road in Lichfield have encountered.  The recent storms across the country have caused damage to a number of properties. Two residents on Birchwood Road had a cold caller attend their property stating that they had completed some roof work in the local area and had noticed that they had two loose ridge tiles on their roof which they could fix for £30.  Clearly the residents were concerned that their roof had become vulnerable in the storms and engaged with this repair work only to be told  that all their ridge tiles were in fact loose and they had lifted and needed immediate work.  The roofers offered to do it for £900.  

Be aware of cold callers who claim to be working in the local area and have noticed something about your house.  Two strategies used are to claim to have worked locally so that you think they are credible; secondly to create an emergency that you have not noticed; thirdly to offer to do it cheaply and therefore save you the worry and trouble of finding someone to do it; fourthly to discover a bigger problem that you feel pressurised to get done, which probably did not need doing!  Get the raised issue checked by an independent source and get at least three quotes. It is always better to employ someone who has been recommended to you and whose work you have seen and is of the quality you expect.  Consider using a reputable company/tradesperson recommended on “Checkatrade”

PCSO 25049 Andrea Horsnall