Rogue Builders Jailed for Rip-Off Home Renovation Scam
Three conmen behind a ruthless fake building company fraud have been slammed with prison sentences. Their cruel scam saw trusting homeowners part with deposits for home improvements that were never even started.
Three Sentenced for Building Scam
- Brian Tutton, 62, no fixed address, gets seven years behind bars and a 10-year ban from being a company director.
- Scott Baker, 50, no fixed address, earns four years prison and a five-year director disqualification.
- David Gogo, 30, from Barringer Square, SW17, sentenced to 14 months, suspended for two years, plus 160 hours unpaid work.
A fourth defendant, Louise Shiankwang, 50, of Sussex, pleaded guilty earlier to letting her home be used as a fake showroom for the scam. She’ll face court again over building work that never happened.
The Scam Uncovered
Brian Tutton ran the racket through a company called Contemporary Home Improvements, fronting it with a London virtual office on Shelton Street. The crew targeted 62 victims who contacted them via ‘rated contractor’ ads.
Tutton struck a deal with Shiankwang to use her kitchen extension as a fake “show home” to lure more victims. She was paid for the use but had no involvement in any building work. The website showed her home with false work claims to convince victims the firm was legit.
How the Scam Worked
Detective Inspector Matt Wigg, leading the probe, said:
“These fraudsters worked hard to appear genuine and reliable. Their website and sales pitches made it tough for anyone to see through the illusion.”
Victims were visited by sales reps who took initial deposits by card, then pushed for bigger payments by bank transfer, sometimes offering discounts if customers let their homes be used as additional fake “show homes.”
Each con played a part:
- Tutton ran the company and the polished public image.
- Baker was the salesman physically collecting deposits.
- Gogo pretended to be the company architect, flaunting fake RIBA business cards — despite having no qualifications.
Justice Served
The Federation of Master Builders kicked the firm off their register when complaints surfaced about the bogus show home trick.
DI Wigg added:
“This callous, calculated scam stole money from innocent people under false pretences. Hopefully, today’s sentencing offers victims some closure.”
Wendy Martin, Director of National Trading Standards, warned:
“These criminals hid behind a shiny facade to fool homeowners into handing over huge sums for works that were never done. Our teams are committed to protecting consumers, and this sentence shows scam artists will be caught and punished.”
Not a single brick was laid by Tutton or his gang. The company collapsed in September 2017, but victims were still handing over deposits for work that was never going to happen.
