A pensioner who paid a cold-calling workman £300 to fix fascia boarding round his home is reminded of the man's shoddy workmanship every time it rains, writes SIMON BURCH.

The 65-year-old, who lives in Sutton Courtenay but does not want to be named, got the workman's firm to replace rotting boarding behind guttering below his roof last month.

But the work was revealed as nothing more than a bodged job during a cloudburst when the guttering - which was nearly new - leaked.

There was more bad news when felt on his flat roof was left draped over the guttering, causing the rain to drip down his patio doors.

The cowboy workman, who has also carried out guttering and fascia work at 15 of the pensioner's neighbours, left only a mobile number and proved difficult to contact. Eventually he returned to repair the work, but the pensioner fears more trouble the next time the heavens open.

He said: "He had to take the guttering off and put it back together again, but when it rained the guttering might as well not have been there. He didn't put it back properly.

"I got hold of him after ringing him loads of times. When he turned up we had a slanging match. There were two men with him and he got really nasty with me but then went up and put more sealant on the guttering.

"I can't go up and look at it because I've got bad arthritis, but I'm sure I'll find out how good a job he's done when it rains."

Now the pensioner says he will have to get his son to look at the work and has vowed never to trust a cold-calling workman again.

He said: "I won't get caught like this again.

"I shall think about it and find out something on the firm next time."

CRUEL TO TARGET OAPs

Dozens of Oxfordshire pensioners are being robbed of their life-savings by a summer swarm of cowboy builders charging sky-high prices.

Elderly householders in Oxford, Banbury, Watlington and Abingdon have been fleeced in recent weeks by door-knockers whose scare tactics persuade them to let the builders loose on their homes.

Now county council trading standards officers are encouraging pensioners to fight back. Stand your ground, they advise, and say no.

Debbie Dent, head of advice services at trading standards, says the builders are an annual scourge, targeting old people with daytime visits offering repairs to guttering, fascia boards and loose tiles.

This offer is not out of the kindness of their hearts. Although they do the work, the quality is often poor. Most cruelly, some give an initial quote, then carry out the work and demand a higher price.

When the householder protests, the conman tricks them into believing they heard it wrong the first time. The victim, confused and unsure, pays up. Others simply take the money and run, giving out mobile phone numbers that subsequently prove useless.

Mrs Dent said: "Things in the last couple of weeks have gone mad. They are all over the county. Old people are affected most because they are more vulnerable.

"The builders' biggest tactic is to scare people by worrying them in some way. They might say, 'You can't possibly leave your roof in that state', or say we are in for a bad winter and it would be better if they did the work there and then.

The best way to avoid being conned is simply to say no. If you need work doing, stick to someone you trust or ask other people for advice on who to use. Pc Keith Raw, crime prevention officer for Oxford police, said: "Never entertain anyone who knocks on your door. If you do think you need work done, ask for quotes from three or four professional firms first.

"Don't be too proud to ask someone for advice - either a relative or even Citizen's Advice. Always ask the builder for a written quote on headed paper, not on the back of a fag packet or something, and make sure it includes VAT."

Mrs Dent added: "People are losing a lot of money they cannot afford to lose. We have cases where people have had to go without food because of what has happened. It brings real misery and the victims hardly dare tell anyone how silly they've been. People think, 'It could not happen to me'. But it does."

TOP TIPS TO BEAT CONMEN

1 Never agree to work there and then. Always ask for a written quote on headed paper. For total peace of mind, use someone you know and trust.

2 Don't be intimidated. If the caller uses threats or abuse, call the police.

3 Don't accept a mobile number on its own. Ask or a business address and do not accept an offer of work if they have not got one you are confident about. A list of identifiable mobile prefix numbers is on page 36 of your phone book.

4 Plan ahead by keeping a list of tried and tested workmen, such as plumbers or builders. If you think something needs checking before winter, get it looked at. Don't wait for a stranger to tell you and don't allow them to fix it if you are unsure.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.