A Derby builder's downfall has been meted out in court, where a 74-year-old man was sentenced to two years and four months' imprisonment for defrauding seven homeowners of over £200,000. Michael Haslam, who operated M&J Builders Limited between 2020 and 2022, knowingly took significant upfront payments from customers despite his company being insolvent and unable to complete the promised work.
Insolvency Service investigations revealed that rather than using customer money to progress building projects, it was spent on personal expenses such as cash withdrawals, online purchases through retailers like Amazon and eBay, and payments to family members. This left victims with unfinished homes posing serious health risks, some of whom faced substantial additional costs to rectify the damage and make their properties habitable.
One victim, who had saved for a retirement renovation, paid Haslam's company over £150,000 but only received an estimated £40,000 worth of work. She described feeling 'completely distraught' and losing her planned retirement, saying that Haslam's actions were part of a 'pattern of behaviour' causing significant financial and emotional harm.
Another victim endured seven months without running water due to an unsafe extension and had to hire new builders simply to make her home safe after exhausting funds for the original project. She had been relying on Haslam to complete work that would have made her home habitable.
Haslam, of Oaklands Avenue, Littleover, pleaded guilty to one count of fraudulent trading in May following the Insolvency Service's investigation. As a result of his conviction, he has been disqualified from acting as a company director for the maximum period of 15 years, intended to prevent him from engaging in similar activities in future.
The total losses incurred by the seven victims amount to approximately £210,000. This case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact that rogue traders can have on individuals, causing financial ruin and disrupting their lives and homes.