Drainage firm tricked customers out of £20k

A DRAINAGE company overcharged and tricked customers out of more than £20,000, a court heard.

Dorset-based 24 Hour Emergency Services Ltd also billed residents for work which was never carried out.

One customer was charged £5,500 for unnecessary drainage work, Plymouth magistrates were told.

Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards investigated the Bournemouth firm after complaints from customers across four counties throughout 2019.

Devon County Council said that residents said the company had repeatedly inflated costs, charged for unnecessary work and charged victims for work that was never carried out.

Plymouth magistrates heard how the company was misleading and untruthful in dealing with seven customers from Tavistock, Paignton, Exeter, Chard, Somerton, Wimborne and Chippenham between February and September 2019.

One resident was charged more than £4,000 for a drain lining when all that was needed was the clearance of a blockage at £95.

24 Hour Emergency Services admitted one catch-all charge of unfair trading by giving customers misleading information.

Magistrates fined the company £3,685, ordered it to pay £20,562 in compensation to customers, £4,030 towards prosecution costs and £170 victim surcharge.

Alex Roddis, trading standards manager for Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards, said after the case: “We will not tolerate traders taking advantage of people, and where needed will take necessary action through the courts.”