Bromley Trading Standards are warning residents to be alert to a rogue trader following an attempt to trick an 80-year-old resident into parting with £600.

The Orpington resident returned home early one evening in the first week of January to find a man on his property who said he was cleaning gutters in the area and could do his for £10. The resident agreed and the man said he would do the work the following day.

The next day the resident was out and received a call mid-morning from the trader to say he had removed the guttering and fascia from the property because it was rotten and it would cost £1,500 to replace. The consumer refused and the price was reduced to £600. The victim reluctantly agreed as he thought the guttering would need to be put back up. He was told the work would be completed immediately and a courier would collect the cash later that evening.

However, when he returned home an hour later he found there had been no evidence of the guttering having been removed at all. Later that evening he did get a call at the door but on the advice of his family this was ignored.

The trader used the name ABD Contractors, based in Station Road, Orpington.

Cllr Tim Stevens, Executive Member for Public Protection and Safety said: “This was an outright attempt to trick someone into paying for work which was neither needed or indeed carried out at all. We suspect the rogue was expecting the householder to return home after dark and therefore not have an opportunity to check the work had been carried out. The resident did the right thing by refusing to answer the door.

If you or anyone you know is approached by ABD Contractors from Orpington please call Bromley Trading Standards’ rapid response number straight away on 07903 852 090.