A Seend-based builder has been fined after delivering substandard building work at a Melksham property, breaching consumer protection laws. Arthur Dolan, 48, director of AD Paving & Landscape Ltd, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. Following an investigation by Wiltshire Council’s Trading Standards team, Dolan was sentenced at Swindon Magistrates Court on 22 August.
He was fined £1,333, ordered to pay £2,500 to Wiltshire Council, and a victim surcharge of £533, totaling £4,366 in penalties.
In February 2024, Dolan was contracted for £7,500 to install a resin driveway at the Melksham home. The homeowner informed him that her father-in-law had recently moved in and had allocated £30,000 for home improvements. By 8 March 2024, she had paid Dolan over £25,000 for the driveway and additional services including shed removal and replacement, fencing, and further resin surfacing.
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A chartered surveyor appointed by Trading Standards found the majority of work was poorly executed and essentially worthless. The resin driveway had been applied too thinly over an inadequately compacted subbase and was laid directly on existing concrete. This caused an uneven surface that peeled away easily and allowed weeds to grow through.
Additionally, the fencing was badly constructed: panels were misaligned and warped due to incorrectly fixed featheredge boards. The surveyor concluded that the workmanship was exceptionally poor and well below acceptable industry standards.
Since the court case, Dolan has refunded the homeowner £14,500 to cover the cost of fixing the defective work and other expenses.
Cllr Paul Sample, Cabinet Member for Environment, commented, “Rogue builders often leave behind substandard or incomplete work, causing distress and financial loss. By raising awareness of such building fraud, we want to help consumers make informed choices and minimize opportunities for fraudsters.”
He urged residents to use approved trader schemes such as Buy With Confidence, which promote reliable, compliant businesses.
Anyone who suspects they have been a victim of a rogue trader is encouraged to contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.
This is not Dolan’s first offence; he was previously prosecuted in April 2019 for misleading practices related to a resin driveway installed in 2017, and again in May 2021 for poor workmanship on landscaping work completed in 2019.