A Hampshire rogue builder has been jailed for five years and banned from carrying out building for a decade following an investigation by Hampshire County Council’s trading standards team.

The sentencing was highlighted at a meeting of the authority’s full council, where concerns were raised about the continuing threat posed by rogue traders and what more can be done to protect residents.

Cabinet Member for Universal Services, Cllr Kirsty North, said the successful prosecution had led to the custodial sentence and a 10-year prohibition from the industry.

She also pointed to another case last year in which officers secured £31,000 in compensation for a 91-year-old resident who had been targeted by a rogue trader claiming to be fixing loose roof tiles.

“Trading Standards is an intelligence-led service and seeks to intervene in the best way possible to benefit as many residents as possible, protecting them by tackling rogue trading — often in partnership with agencies such as the police,” Cllr North said.

She added that the team is increasingly using predictive analytics to focus enforcement activity on areas believed to be targeted by rogue traders, particularly those operating through unsolicited door-to-door calls.

“Most recently the team been taking work to take down websites associated with rogue trading as well as proactively intervening and advising businesses who they believe are at risk conducting poor work.

“They also promote the use of their over 600 ‘buy with confidence’ trading standards approved businesses to undertake home improvements and other work by trusted traders.”

Cllr Martin Tod, who raised the issue, cited the case of a Winchester resident who had the “misfortune” to end up with a rogue builder.

In that case, the builder failed to complete the contracted work, leaving damage that cost the resident more than £55,000 to rectify.

The builder failed to complete the contracted work, leaving damage that cost the resident more than £55,000 to put right.

Cllr Tod said the individual had also failed to pay subcontractors and suppliers, appeared to have engaged in fraudulent activity, and went on to cause similar — and in some cases worse — problems for other Hampshire residents before placing the company into liquidation.

He added that this had happened on more than one occasion.

He said: “Real damage not just a resident but also to other businesses.”

However, when the residents submitted a complaint, Hampshire trading standards said no investigation would be opened.

Cllr North confirmed she would meet with the affected resident to better understand the circumstances of the case and determine whether any further action is required.