Since 2021, Scott Saxby has taken over £60,000 in building deposits for works not carried out, with new cases still emerging. Five of his known victims are pensioners. 3 are registered disabled. The rest all have babies or young children. He befriends customers, takes large deposits, then cites personal problems and cuts all contact. Excuses include that one of his children has died, that he is homeless or that his pregnant wife or newborn baby are gravely unwell 'in Great Ormond Street'. These were all later discovered to be ficticous stories.

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Intimidation Tactics

With the recent discovery of yet another case, an elderly couple who were persuaded by Mr. Saxby to pay him a large deposit in cash, it is now believed there are more cases where elderly or vulnerable people feel too scared to come forward. The Financial Ombudsman has now ruled in favour of some victims and ordered banks to issue full refunds. As such, victims are encouraged to come forward, and can do so anonymously should they wish. Those who have now received compensation are happy to guide others through the process.

 

Bodge Job

Trading Standards claim to have carried out a 'thorough investigation' into Mr. Saxby, yet did not take statements from any of the victims and seemingly made no efforts to uncover any cases other than the 12 they were presented with. A Trading Standards Officer told victims that "this is just what builders do", that the "courts were crowded" and Mr. Saxby had "just bitten off more than he could chew" in each of the cases.

 

When told that victims would like to submit a Freedom of Information Request, the same Officer responded that it would 'land on his desk' and he would 'refuse it'. A Freedom of Information Request submitted by victims after the investigation had closed was refused on all counts.

 

Trading Standards decided not to refer the matter to the courts. Mr. Saxby was permitted to walk free and continue trading. Nobody has ever received a penny back from him.

 

Just days after Trading Standards closed their investigation, another new case was discovered, an elderly couple who had paid Mr. Saxby £2,800 to fit mobility rails in their home. They claim Mr. Saxby took them a bouquet of flowers, persuaded them to pay in cash to 'speed things up', and then disappeared. They say they have never been contacted by Trading Standards.

 

Splashing the Cash

In May and June 2022, Mr. Saxby took over £30,000 in building deposits, his biggest heist to date. Monies were all paid into his wife's bank account. Concerned victims made multiple attempts to contact her, all were ignored. On 3rd June 2022, the couple purchased a second car, a 'Fantom' Range Rover.

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Days later, while unsuspecting customers thought their deposits were being spent on building materials, the couple travelled to the White Dragon Tattoo Parlour in North London and both treated themselves to lavish new tattoos. In July 2022 they travelled to a cosmetic clinic in Brighton, where, according to her husband, Mrs. Saxby allegedly made enquiries about putting herself on the waiting list for an £8,000 procedure commonly known as a 'tummy tuck'. At the same appointment, Mr. Saxby spent hundreds of pounds on a private vasectomy.

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A short time later, Mr. Saxby told customers he was not in a position to carry out any building works and could not refund any of the £30,000 deposits he had taken in the preceding weeks.

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Dispicable Tactics

In one chilling case, Mr. Saxby befriended a couple over several months, telling them he had a daughter called 'Violet Saxby' who was 'three and a half', the same age as the couple's daughter. When their mortage came in and they paid him a large deposit, he disappeared. Sources close to the family confirm Mr. Saxby does not have a daughter called Violet.

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In the case of one elderly victim in her 80s, it is claimed Saxby threatened to post 'live tarantulas bred by my brother' through her letterbox if she went to the press. It is also claimed he said it would be 'very easy to set fire to her property' as she lives on an alleyway. The pensioner was apparently too scared to leave her house after the incident.

 

When another victim shared their story, a local builder reported that Mr. Saxby had apparently driven around looking for their elderly parents car to 'smash it up', but couldn't find it.

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Just weeks after their lavish spending spree in the Summer of 2022, it was reported that Mr. Saxby and his wife were also claiming £2,500 per month in benefits.

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To date, nobody has received a penny back from the couple, who have multiple bank accounts and no less than 6 County Court Judgements either processed or pending between them.

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If you have been affected, please contact us.