Devon Builder Accused of £442K Fraud Scheme Spanning 15 Years

A group of over 30 individuals has accused Devon-based builder Steven Gent of scamming them out of a total of £442,665 over a period of 15 years. Gent allegedly operates under multiple company names and aliases, making it difficult for victims to track him down.

Why this matters: This case highlights the need for stricter regulations and oversight in the construction industry to prevent fraudulent activities. If left unchecked, such scams can lead to a loss of trust in the industry and financial devastation for many individuals.

One of the victims, 66-year-old Wendy Craig from Preston, South Devon, paid Gent £7,000 to renovate her garage in September 2021. However, she was left with a mess and eventually created a "name and shame" Facebook group, where she found dozens of people with similar complaints about Gent.

According to Ms. Craig, Gent presents himself well and offers to start work immediately, demanding a deposit. Once work begins, he requests further payments before suddenly breaking off communication and disappearing.

Trading Standards has confirmed that Gent is under investigation following a "number of complaints." He was first reported to the authorities in 2009 and has been reported more than a dozen times since.

The victims are calling for new measures to register and monitor construction workers to prevent similar scams in the future. Ms. Craig stated, "Mr. Gent has left a trail of destroyed lives, homes that have lost value and desperate homeowners who do not know where to turn."

The alleged fraud scheme, totaling £442,665 and impacting at least 30 victims over 15 years, highlights the need for increasedoversightand regulation in the construction industry. As the investigation by Trading Standards continues, the victims hope their calls for reform will be heard to protect others from falling prey to similar scams in the future.

Key Takeaways

• Builder Steven Gent accused of scamming 30+ individuals out of £442,665 over 15 years.
• Gent allegedly operates under multiple company names and aliases, making him hard to track.
• Victims claim Gent demands deposits, starts work, then disappears with their money.
• Trading Standards is investigating Gent following multiple complaints since 2009.
• Victims call for stricter regulations to prevent similar scams in the construction industry.