'We paid our builder £44k then he had us arrested'

An Essex builder’s botched extensions left homes unsafe — one couple described theirs as a “bomb site,” with exposed walls, rats and collapse risk.
The couple spent £75,000, were briefly arrested after the builder accused them of harassment, were later apologised to by police and awarded £85,000 compensation.
Other clients report similar horror stories—one had a garden office smashed with a chainsaw—and several victims say their relationships and mental health were badly damaged.