A YOUNG family from Penley are warning others after they fear they have been left massively out of pocket by ‘rogue traders’.

Thomas and Anna Gill wanted to make some improvements to their new home.

In March last year they contacted Rae Valley Windows and Doors Ltd, run by brothers Neil and Craig Evans and based in Minsterley in south Shropshire.

They wanted to refit the house with new windows and revamp their conservatory at a cost of £10,000.

They paid a deposit of £4,500 to cover the cost of materials.

But almost a year later, the work still hasn’t been completed.

Mr Gill, 30, said: “We were going away in May so we said that would be an ideal time for them to do it.

“But the week before, we had to chase them up as they hadn’t been in touch.

“We found the business had actually folded five days after we paid the money. They took our money knowing they were folding the business.

“They did promise to honour the work with the new business they had set up and asked us to be patient – but still nothing has been done.

“We had been keeping in contact with them, but that stopped on December 11.”

Frustrated, Mr Gill and his wife posted a warning to others on social media.

That has now been shared more than 600 times in less than two days and received dozens of messages from other people who claimed they had also paid money to the Evans brothers.

Mr Gill said: “It’s not just us this has happened to – it has happened to a lot of people. The brothers have said they would do the work, but we want to stop them from doing this to others.

“It’s upsetting and frustrating.

“This was a first home – we saved £10,000 for home improvements and we feel they took half of it knowing, when they first met me with my newborn baby in my arms, that their business would fold.”

Neil Evans declined to comment to the Herald.