A Middlesbrough mother and daughter, who lost their life savings to three rogue traders, have recovered £56,000 after almost four years of worry and financial hardship.
Sandra Taylor-Warren, 46, and her mother Sue Taylor, 78, from Tollesby, finally received a full refund from Nationwide after specialist support from Safer Communities’ Financial Fraud Advocacy service.
The service, which is part-funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland (OPCC,) has now helped victims of fraud recover more than £1.5m.
Sandra said: “It was literally everything we had.”
The ordeal began in summer 2022 when a leaking upstairs shower caused part of the ceiling in the breakfast room to collapse.
A handyman, whose previous work had been satisfactory, was called back. However, what began as decorating work escalated into major roof repairs.
Sandra says the trader removed ceiling tiles, went into the loft and claimed the roof was leaking. He then moved roof tiles, leaving the family facing further problems. They paid the first trader about £18,000.
When they sought help from specialist roofers, a leaflet advertising roofing services arrived at the house.
The contractors appeared professional, wearing uniforms and looking “the real deal”, but Sandra says they left the roof in an even worse condition after being paid more than £30,000.
Sandra said: “It was leaking into next door. The guttering wasn’t attached and the tiles were coming off. We were worried that the roof was going to come in.”
They brought in a third trader to put the damage right, but Sandra says he also made matters worse, costing the family another £8,000.
The three traders were unconnected, but the family fell victim to repeated rogue traders as they tried to resolve problems left by earlier work.
Bouncing the job
The tactic is known as bouncing the job. It’s when a small repair escalates because supposedly necessary additional work is identified and costs spiral.
By the end of the ordeal, around £56,000 of Sue’s savings had gone.
Sandra said: “It was mum’s money. I felt awful because it was me who’d gone forward with it all, thinking I was helping.”
Trading Standards became involved. While investigating the traders, they referred Sandra to Safer Communities’ Financial Fraud Advocacy service.
Sandra had already spent years trying to recover the money through Nationwide, without success.
She said: “We were constantly on at them, ringing them, emailing them. They kept saying they weren’t getting my emails, so Vicky emailed them for me. They were getting her’s alright, but they weren’t getting mine.”
Financial Fraud Advocate Vicky Beaumont took up the case, helping Sandra deal with the bank and pursue the refund.
Sandra said: “Vicky was amazing. Absolutely amazing. She helped us get in touch with the bank and speak to them. She knew what she was asking and what to do basically – and she guided me. I don’t think I could have done it without her.”
On 14 July 2026, Nationwide returned the full £56,000.
Only part of the Ordeal
The financial loss was only part of the family’s ordeal.
Sandra said: “It’s been horrendous, absolutely horrendous – and it’s made my health really bad.”
Sue described “a lot of sleepless nights” and said getting the money back was “a very great relief”.
The experience also made it difficult for the family to trust the legitimate roofers eventually brought in to complete repairs.
Sandra said: “It was really hard to trust these roofers to come and do the roof. All the way through, we’ve been worrying and panicking.”
Safer Communities’ Financial Fraud Advocate Vicky Beaumont said: “By the time people come to us, they may already have spent months – or sometimes years – trying to resolve what has happened.
“Our role is to go back through the case, understand exactly what happened, gather the evidence and look at the routes that may still be open to the victim.
“In Sandra’s case, we were able to work with her and take the matter forward with Nationwide. That resulted in the full £56,000 being returned.
“That is obviously a significant financial result, but you cannot underestimate what dealing with something like this for years does to a person. Fraud affects people emotionally as well as financially.”
The Financial Fraud Advocacy service helps victims gather evidence, challenge decisions by financial institutions and pursue complaints through the Financial Ombudsman Service, where appropriate.
Funded by the OPCC and Trading Standards teams using money recovered from criminals under the Proceeds of Crime Act, the service has secured more than £1.5m for victims. Its funding has recently been extended.
One of the most successful
Cleveland PCC Matt Storey said: “In terms of outcomes, this must be one of the most successful victims’ programmes, which we have ever helped to fund.
“Not only have financial fraud advocates recovered more than £1.5m but they’ve helped so many vulnerable victims.
“Fraud not only hurts people’s pockets, it also hurts their hearts and minds. Victims are left feeling ashamed that they have fallen victim to scammers and mistrustful that other people may try to exploit them in future.
“My message to victims is clear – it’s not your fault! FFAs – and Safer Communities – are here to help you recover from what has happened and prevent you from becoming a victim of fraud in future.”
Sandra hopes sharing her experience will warn others how quickly an apparently straightforward home repair can spiral out of control.
“The more people that are aware that these things can happen, the better.”