Rogue builder jailed for six years after Trading Standards investigation

Waheed Butt (49) of Waylen Street, Reading RG1 7UP, was jailed after pleading guilty to an offence of fraudulent trading under the Companies Act 2006. He was also disqualified from being a company director under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 for eight years.

Following his guilty plea, Butt agreed to pay part refunds for 12 victims, including supplier companies, totalling £152,500.

Birmingham City Council’s Trading Standards team launched an investigation in December 2019 after receiving numerous complaints from Butt’s victims across the West Midlands, about WB Infrastructure Ltd based at Salisbury Drive, Water Orton, Birmingham, B46 1QJ, which had been contracted for various building works to their properties between February 2019 and September 2020.

Thousands of pounds were paid for extensions to be built, kitchens to be replaced, roofing, electrical and plumbing work to be done but in most cases, little or no work took place and it was alleged the work that had been carried out was found by an independent building surveyor to be in a dangerous condition and required demolition. 

Tony Quigley, Head of Trading Standards at Birmingham City Council, said: “This rogue trader set up a business as a builder when he had little or no experience of building projects which citizens spent thousands of pounds on, in the hope it will improve their homes.

“Instead the ‘world class service’ Butt’s victims believed they were going to get resulted in dangerous buildings that had to be demolished, at a further cost.

“Our Trading Standards officers work hard to bring fraudulent traders like this to justice and to help protect consumers across the city from being misled – and I’m glad there will be some recompense for some of his victims.”

WB Infrastructure Ltd is no longer in operation.