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23
Apr 2021
Harrogate cowboy builder James Moss ordered to repay deposit by courts
Harrogate builder James Moss has been ordered by a judge to repay a man from Knaresborough £1,275, after he took a deposit but failed to show up on a job.
The Harrogate Justice Centre held a virtual hearing yesterday with claimant David King. Mr Moss failed to attend.
District Judge William Josling read out an email sent by Mr Moss to the court on April 16. It said the business that he claimed provided the work, DBL Yorkshire, has now ceased trading and he has no association with it any longer.
The judge said he had also submitted a defence of bad weather and supply.
However, this was not accepted by Judge Josling who proceeded to hear the case in the builder's absence.
Mr King, of Beech Grove in Knaresborough, told the court that he had paid £1,275 in a deposit in June 2020 for building work that was never started.
He said a date was set to begin the work in August 2020 "which came and went".
He added:
Judge Josling ordered Mr Moss to pay Mr King the full £1,275 plus costs.
Read more:
- Trading standards criticised for response to Harrogate builder
- Women ripped off by ‘shoddy’ Harrogate builder
Three different claimants have now won cases in the county court against Mr Moss in 2021 alone.
In January, he was told to pay £11,495 to a woman who was unhappy about the quality of his work.
In February, he was ordered to repay money after a £30,000 garage conversion was so poor it had to be partly demolished.
Last year, the Stray Ferret heard how two other women also won cases against Mr Moss in the civil court for poor workmanship.
None of them have received any money from James Moss.
North Yorkshire County Council's trading standards department has been criticised for its response to the builder.
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