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Rhodri catches up with Les Thomas

A woman from Malpas near Newport is fighting to get thousands of pounds back from a builder who did substandard work at her home.

Linda Vokes paid Leslie Thomas of Maindee, Newport ÂŁ5,600 to lay a block-effect driveway, erect two walls and build a flight of steps in December 2008.

But within a year the driveway’s protective concrete layer had started to disappear, render on the walls was flaking and coping stones were loose.

Mr Thomas returned to the property at Mrs Vokes’ request and she says he promised to carry out repairs as soon as the weather was better.

“We were grateful that he said he would come and do it but when nothing materialised we became very disgusted with him,” said Mrs Vokes.

She continued to pursue Les but he still didn’t fix the wall and driveway so Mrs Vokes obtained quotes from other builders on how much the repairs would cost.

Mr Thomas disputed the amount but when Mrs Thomas took him to court he was ordered to pay her ÂŁ4,299.

But he didn’t paid up so in June last year bailiffs visited his home to try and reclaim the money.  But Mr Thomas still hasn’t paid Mrs Vokes.

“Since court nothing has happened other than we’ve got an even more deteriorated driveway than when we started,” she said.

X-Ray wrote to Mr Thomas to ask for an interview about the driveway but he didn’t respond.

Presenter Rhodri Owen confronted the builder as he was leaving his house on Christchurch Avenue and asked him why he hadn’t paid.

He said that he was in the process of “sorting it out” and would pay “as soon as possible”.  We’ll be checking to see if Les keeps that promise.