Police are probing a building firm amid claims nearly 40 families were ‘scammed’ out of almost £500,000 for work that never happened.
Thirty-seven households paid a total of £478,840 to South Coast Construction (Sussex) Ltd (SCC) to carry out loft renovations, conservatories and other home extensions.
They said the company – which has denied wrongdoing – had appealed to them because it offered a complete design and build package and seemed to have several endorsements on its website.
But after handing SCC hefty deposits – some more than £15,000 – families said start dates for building work were consistently pushed back, while the company became increasingly difficult to get hold of.
Sussex Police said it is investigating ‘a number of reports of alleged fraud’ in connection with the company – which operated in Dorset, Hampshire, Sussex and Surrey – after victims rallied together in a desperate bid for ‘justice’.
Twenty-nine of the 37 households affected have managed to get their money refunded through their bank, while eight were told it is a civil matter and are having to go to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
SCC’s director, 23-year-old Brandon Harris-Lee, denied he had deliberately scammed customers, insisting he did not take their money without intending to carry out the work.
Katie Mills, 35, paid SCC a £6,500 deposit in May to build an extension for her disabled daughter at their home in Newbury, Berkshire, which she was told would cover architectural drawings.
But when the architect contacted her to say they had not been paid by the company, the mother began to fear she had been ‘scammed’. She told the Daily Mail: ‘The thought of losing £6,500 is horrifying, not knowing if you’re actually going to get it back.
Katie Mills, 35, (left) paid South Coast Construction (Sussex) Ltd a £6,500 deposit in May to build an extension for her disabled daughter (right) at their home in Newbury, Berkshire
Thirty-seven households paid a total of £478,840 to SCC. Eight families are yet to receive a refund
‘Before I paid the deposit, they called me a couple of times, really playing on the fact that they wanted to help us and our disabled daughter.
‘A couple of days before I [became concerned] it was all a scam, they called me and wanted an additional £2,000-£3,000 on top. I said no.’
The mother, who runs credit control firm Clarity Finance, claimed SCC advertised itself as being insured by Home Improvement Protection (HIP), which gave her ‘reassurance’ her money was safe.
But the company was seemingly falsely claiming to be insured, victims said.
A spokesperson for HIP said members pay a premium to insure each customer contract, adding it had become aware that SCC was advertising its membership certificate as proof of insurance – a ‘serious breach’ of its terms of agreement.
The company was expelled from the scheme in May, while still accepting money from new customers.
One man from West Sussex, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Mail he paid a £15,300 deposit to the company on May 1.
He wanted a two-bedroom loft extension so his two children and four foster children, all under 10, could have their own rooms.
But after paying the deposit, the father claimed the surveyor told him she could not give him the drawings because she had not been paid by SCC.
‘We were waiting for the drawings, and then she called one day and said “I haven’t been paid for the drawings, so I can’t release them”,’ he said.
Brandon Harris-Lee, 23, the sole director of SCC, was appointed in July 2024, according to Companies House
‘So I spoke to [SCC] and I said “you haven’t paid her, I need my drawings”.
‘I went back to [the surveyor] and I said “they’re going to pay you on the Friday”, and she said “I’ve got to come clean, I’m already owed 10 invoices from 10 other people, and they’ve been telling me for three months they’re going to pay me”.’
He added: ‘What they were doing was they were just delaying, delaying, delaying, saying “we’re going to start in four weeks, in six weeks, we’re going to do this, we’re going to do that”.’
After fearing he had been ‘scammed’, the father found other disgruntled customers online and set up a WhatsApp group.
Having got his money back after contacting his bank, the homeowner wants to help the remaining residents yet to be refunded.
‘There’s a lot of horrible stories, with people being taken advantage [of],’ he said.
‘These directors can’t be doing this again, because they’ve ruined families. That’s what drives me to get the money back for them. These were people who were vulnerable, and who were taken advantage of.
‘We’ve got about eight people left, and the banks are refusing to pay, because they’re saying it’s a civil dispute, and what we’re doing is we’re going to the FOS, so we’re just doing the paper work.’
A Sussex Police spokesperson said: ‘We are investigating, alongside our partners, a number of reports of alleged fraud in connection with the company South Coast Construction.
‘Anyone impacted or who has any information is asked to report to Sussex Police online, by calling 101 or using textphone 18001.
‘Alternatively, you can report via Report Fraud online at Report Fraud or phone 0300 123 2040.’
In a statement to the BBC, director Mr Harris-Lee strongly denied the allegations, adding: ‘We experienced significant problems on several projects including issues involving subcontractors, delays and substantial cost overruns.
‘We were trying to generate income from ongoing and future work while simultaneously funding and completing projects that had significantly exceeded their budgets.
‘Regarding the company’s accreditations and insurance arrangements, certain bills and fees were not paid when they should have been as the company’s financial position deteriorated.’
A government spokesperson said: ‘We are taking robust action against rogue operators to protect consumers and support reputable traders, so people can spend their money with greater confidence and security.’
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