A solar panel installer who ripped off his customers to the tune of almost £25,000 has been jailed following an investigation by North Yorkshire Trading Standards, who are warning the public to be on guard against similar scams.
Sean Berry (34) of Banksfields Road in Middlesborough, trading as SB Electrical Security and Solutions Limited, took deposits of up to 50 percent from customers to install solar panels at their properties. However, he failed to order materials or carry out any work – and when customers complained and asked for refunds, he failed to pay back any of the money.
Sean Berry (image credit: North Yorkshire Trading Standards)
Berry came to the attention of North Yorkshire Trading Standards when they received six complaints from homeowners in Easingwold and Whitby in North Yorkshire, as well as Middlesbrough, Hull and County Durham.
Berry appeared at York Crown Court on 26 February, having pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to four counts of fraud by false representation and five counts of engaging in an unfair commercial practice under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.
He was sentenced to a total of two years and eight months in prison, receiving two years and eight months for each fraud to run concurrently, and eight months for each unfair trading offence, also to run concurrently.
There was no order for costs or compensation due to the immediate custodial sentence. Berry was also disqualified from acting as a company director for 10 years.
Additionally, Berry was given one day’s custody, to run concurrently, for failing to attend a sentencing hearing on 25 February.
One of his victims said: “SB Electrical took away my faith in tradesmen. Sean Berry manipulated, lied and had every intention of taking advantage of me, and I’m glad justice has prevailed.”
Councillor Greg White, executive member for Trading Standards at North Yorkshire Council, said: “Our Trading Standards service is seeing increasing numbers of cases where traders take money upfront from consumers and then fail to carry out work or supply materials.
“While we understand that the trading environment is difficult, it is completely unacceptable that hard-working consumers are misled into paying large sums of money and then get nothing in return.
“I hope the sentence imposed on Sean Berry sends a clear message to traders that we will not tolerate these sorts of business practices.
“My advice to any tradesperson who finds themselves in difficulties is to speak to their customers to explain and agree an achievable timetable for work or a repayment plan. Simply ignoring customers or giving them fabricated excuses only makes the situation worse for all concerned.”
