A family have been left £7,000 out of pocket after a 'heartless' builder took their cash but never built their disabled tot a sensory room - shortly before bragging he was going to live the 'van life 24/7'.
Abbie Merrett had scraped together £18,000 so her severely disabled little boy, Rory, three, could enjoy a specialist room complete with a special bed, a changing table and padding.
The 33-year-old claims she welcomed a self-employed builder into their home as he appeared a 'really nice guy' - promising to build a safe haven for Rory, who has severe autism, severe learning difficulties and is non-verbal.
Abbie and husband David Merrett, 37, handed over an agreed £7,000 in July 2021, which she claims was to be used for materials.
But the couple claim the months began ticking by without any work beginning - as the builder allegedly reeled out excuses about his van breaking down, fuel shortages, 'heavy rain' and a funeral.
After being strung along for months, Abbie demanded answers in October and emails show the tradesman promising to send her her cash that day but then complaining about 'phone trouble'.
Four months since being promised her money back, the full-time carer remains £7,000 down, while still forced to pay back the loan she had taken out with family.
But Abbie felt she had salt rubbed in the wound when she spotted the builder appearing to brag online about moving into a campervan full-time - furious that her money may have funded his off-grid dream.
The builder claims Abbie's money is 'sat waiting' and 'all she has to do is reply to the email' he sent - though screenshots show she sent her bank details to him back in October.
Abbie, from Retford, Nottinghamshire, said: "It's been a nightmare really. It's just so upsetting.
"We got some plans done by a local architect to get a single storey extension done so I can change [my son] downstairs. He has to sleep in a special bed so we wanted everything on the ground floor.
"I got some quotes from local builders and he was one of them. He came out, had a look and seemed like a really nice guy.
"It was meant to be £18,000 in total, but it was broken down into three payments. It was £7,000 for materials, £5,000 when at roof level and the rest on completion, which is normal in the building trade.
"I went ahead with his quote. He messaged me to say he was in the suppliers and he needed the money to get the materials for the job.
"I paid that day, the £7,000, on July 30 2021. He was due to start two weeks later and that's when all the excuses started.
"I just don't want it to happen again [to anyone else]."
Mum-of-two Abbie patiently waited for weeks for the builder to turn up and claims he began to give excuses about his van needing an MOT and failed to respond to calls, while refusing to provide details of his materials supplier.
Abbie said: "He said he couldn't come because of the fuel shortage but he only lives six miles away and there weren't any problems in our area.
"He said he had to go to a funeral, there was a delay with suppliers, his car wouldn't start, he had to take his van for an MOT. Excuses basically.
"After about four weeks I got a bit annoyed and asked him for the supplier's telephone number and details so I could ring them myself.
"At this stage I thought there'd been delays and wanted to try and hurry it along.
"He wouldn't give me the details and said he'd sort it. I didn't really question it then it wasn't until two weeks later that I waited in for the bricks. I waited in and nothing turned up. This kept happening for weeks on end."
After repeatedly chasing the worker, desperate Abbie claims she was then promised an exact start date, but again, nothing materialised and he kept giving excuses such as 'heavy rain, fuel shortages and appointments'.
Eventually, Abbie claims he told her he no longer had her money and it was with suppliers.
Abbie said: "[In the end], I said I wanted the deposit back or I'd like the order number and suppliers details, or I'd be going to the police as something wasn't right.
"He said he hadn't got my money now and the suppliers had it."
Now, almost than four months later, Abbie claims she hasn't received a penny back from the tradesman and little Rory is still without his sensory room - meaning his little sister Rozalyn, six, is also having difficulty sleeping when her brother is crying or upset.
Abbie said: "I went to the police and they said they'd look into it for me. I've also rang trading standards.
"As of today, I haven't received a penny from him. He just sent loads of emails saying he'd pay me and nothing ever came through. I've still not heard from him.
"I didn't get my changing table and it's affected us massively. We can't afford to have the work done now.
"The total price was £18,000 so minus £7,000, no one's going to build a single storey extension for that sort of money.
"Rory gets disability living allowance so some of the money is from that and the rest is a loan from friends and family. Now we have to pay that back at £100 a month [with no extension].
"My son's not got a changing table now. I'm having to carry him upstairs.
"He's nearly four and he's completely non-verbal. He'll be staying with us for life and he's got severe mental impairments.
"It's made the whole family really ill.
"We haven't got the sensory room, we haven't got the changing table. His bed has had to go upstairs which means we have to carry him upstairs.
"Rory has a sister and it's had a massive affect on her. I try not to discuss it in front of her but at six, she's aware. She's really upset because someone's taken money from us.
"Rory has challenging behaviour so if he becomes upset he bites himself, or bites us, and obviously because he can't talk, he's hyperactive and cries at night and bangs his head.
"It's been a nightmare. The bed has to go upstairs so it's still affecting her sleep.
"The sensory room would have padded walls. When he's regulating himself, he rocks back and forwards and bangs his head.
"It's a safe space that he can take himself in.
"It'll have bubble tubes and lights and just an area that he can calm down if he's having a meltdown."
When contacted for comment, the builder declared he did have the money ready to pay Abbie and said all she needed to do was to reply to his email - but refused to discuss the matter over the phone or go into any more details of what happened.
He said: "All Abbie needs to do is reply to the email sent 19/10/2021. Her money is sat waiting.
"She's also ignored my solicitors letter and obviously carrying on with the slander and a creating public media witch hunt to which my while family have suffered with attacks and harassment."
A spokesperson from Nottinghamshire Police said: "Nottinghamshire Police is investigating a reported fraud offence and has been liaising with the person affected and others to gather the necessary evidence.
"We understand the very significant impact fraud offences can have on victims and will be working hard to get a successful resolution in this case. Anyone with additional information about this case is asked to call 101 quoting incident 86 of 13 October."
A spokesperson from Nottinghamshire County Council Trading Standards said: "In this instance, our Trading Standards team was made aware of Ms Merrett's situation by our partner agency, the Citizens Advice Consumer Service, after she contacted them in October 2021.
"Our Trading Standards officers sympathised with Ms Merrett's situation and following advice being provided by our partner agency the Citizens Advice Consumer Service, they also contacted Ms Merrett to provide some additional advice. Our Trading Standards team have had no further contact with Ms Merrett since this.
"If Ms Merrett requires further legal advice on how to pursue the builder for breach of contract, we recommend she contacts the Citizens Advice Consumer Service again. If any other consumers have experienced problems with this trader, then we would encourage them to contact our partner agency the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133 to report this and obtain advice."
After the family revealed they would have to cancel their plans for little Rory's sensory room, a family friend set up a JustGiving page for the little boy so kind hearted donors could help Abbie fund a new builder.
The fundraising page has so far raised just £770 towards the needed £7,000, with Abbie hoping people might be moved to donate.
You can donate to Rory's page here - https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/kim-wolverson
