A father and son from Seend have been sentenced after carrying out substandard and misleading roofing work that left homeowners thousands of pounds out of pocket.
Arthur Dolan Snr, 49, and Arthur Dolan Jnr, 28, both of Blossom Hill, were sentenced at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Friday 27th March following an investigation by Wiltshire Council’s Trading Standards team.
Both men received six-month prison sentences, suspended for 15 months. They have also been ordered to complete unpaid work and rehabilitation activity days, and have been disqualified from acting as company directors for five years.
The pair previously admitted multiple offences linked to poor quality and dishonest work carried out under the business name A & D Home Improvements Ltd.
Trading Standards pursued the case using cross-boundary enforcement powers due to concerns about continued offending in neighbouring areas.
At one property, the men convinced an elderly homeowner that their extension roof needed a full replacement, despite evidence suggesting a much simpler repair would have been sufficient.
An initial quote of £3,000 later rose to £12,000. An expert inspection found the work was unnecessary, poorly carried out and left with multiple defects. Debris was also found still on the roof despite claims it had been removed.
At a second property, the pair charged £12,450 for a full reroof. However, an independent surveyor later found the work was so poorly completed that the entire roof would need to be replaced.
The homeowner has since paid £17,000 to correct the work, with costs increasing due to further damage caused.
Surveyors confirmed that the work had not been carried out with reasonable skill or care, that misleading claims had been made, and that both properties were left in a worse condition than before.
Both men have previous convictions for similar offences, including prosecutions by Wiltshire Trading Standards in 2025. Some of the offences were committed while Dolan Jnr was on bail for an earlier case.
Wiltshire Council has confirmed that proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 will now begin, with the aim of recovering money and compensating the victims.
Cllr Paul Sample, Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said:
“This case demonstrates the serious and lasting harm rogue traders can inflict on residents.
“The men knowingly carried out misleading and substandard work, leaving both households facing significant financial loss and considerable emotional strain.”
Residents are being urged to use reputable traders, seek multiple quotes and avoid agreeing to work from unexpected doorstep callers.
Related Reading: Rogue roofers ordered to pay £5,000 for substandard work in Westbury scam
Want to know what’s on in Calne? Visit our local events page for listings and to find out how to add your own events for free. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all the latest news. Have you got a story for us? Email editor@calnenews.com.
