A trader who took money for work he didn’t carry out has been ordered to pay almost £4,000 after an investigation by North Yorkshire Council’s trading standards team.
Andrew Keith Piner appeared at York Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (June 4) after pleading guilty to one offence under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.
North Yorkshire Council’s trading standards officers began an investigation into Piner, of Avenue Road, Clitheroe, Lancashire, after receiving a complaint from the resident who lives near Skipton.
The complainant had paid him £1,880 to provide a summerhouse and gate.
Despite texting the customer in May 2023 to tell him that the summerhouse would be ready that week and the gate painted and ready by the Friday, Piner never carried out the work.
In June, Piner admitted that there was no summerhouse or gate and said he would repay the money. However, no refund was sent and the resident had to instruct a solicitor.
Sentencing Piner, District Judge Adrian Lower, said:
It is not the first time that you have been in trouble with the Trading Standards.
When people pay for work, people expect work to be done.
The reality of all of this frankly is if you don’t amend your ways, and you keep promising the earth and don’t deliver, then you will become known as a rogue trader, and nobody will want to employ you.
Piner was ordered to pay a fine, costs and court surcharge totalling £3,885.84.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for trading standards, Cllr Greg White, said:
Piner’s actions caused a great deal of stress to a 77-year-old resident.
He left him out of pocket and having to instruct a solicitor at his own cost to make a claim in the county court.
It is completely unacceptable for a trader to act in this way, and I am pleased that the court has recognised that in sentencing Piner.
Residents can report rogue traders or get advice from the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.
More information can be found on the Trading Standards page of the North Yorkshire Council website, www.northyorks.gov.uk/business-and-economy/trading-standards.
The Government-endorsed scheme, Trustmark, can be found via its website, www.trustmark.org.uk.
