News

Roofer alleged to have conned pensioners

Published

6 years ago

August 17, 2020

Mr and Mrs Black left in limbo after sudden halt on their leaking roof

AN ELDERLY couple from Pembrokeshire have been left with an unfinished roof and a staggering £15,500 out of pocket by an alleged ‘rogue’ trader.

Mr and Mrs Black from Maenclochog, had hired, who they believed to be a specialist and reputable roofing company, to repair a leak in the flat roof on their two-bedroom bungalow.

Seventy-nine-year-old Mr Black told us how he had leaks in his lounge, which he suspected was caused by the flat roof on his property.

He told us how he scouted around and decided to contact TAV Roofing, who appeared to have bases in both Narberth and Swansea.

A quick investigation by this newspaper has revealed that although TAV Roofing do advertise they work out of the Narberth area; they operate out of a base solely from an address in Swansea.

Owner of TAV Roofing, Mr Jim Janes came out to provide an estimate and quoted the couple £4,300 to replace the flat roof.

Mr Black agreed to the quote and gave an upfront payment of £1,000 to Mr Janes for materials.

Mr Black told this newspaper that they started work on the flat roof on July 9 and everything was going well, and the company was turning up and appearing to work hard to complete the job.

The flat roof which ended up costing the elderly couple £15,500

However shortly after work commenced, it seemed that Mr Janes believed that the problem was not the flat roof and that the main roof would need to be replaced also – to the total cost of £17,900.

Mr Black said: “We had a leak, he started working on the flat roof, then he was ripping other bits out of the main roof.

“We felt trapped as he had already started the work. We went away for the weekend on July 16 and were told while we were away the job would be completed.

“When we arrived home on the Tuesday, the roof was still unfinished and there was no sign of any roofers and all materials and tools had been removed from the property.”

Mr Black was paying in instalments, however when work suddenly came to a halt he had already handed over a staggering £15,500 – but the couple have been left in limbo.

The original leaks are still apparent on the property and they have been left with around 300 tiles still missing on the main property roof.

After many failed attempts to establish contact with the owner of TAV Roofing, by both Mr and Mrs Black and family members, the Blacks contacted trading standards.

We contacted Pembrokeshire County Council for a statement, a spokesperson said: “Pembrokeshire County Council has been contacted in relation to the company in question.

“Members of our Trading Standards Team are making further enquiries.”

Mr Jim Janes, owner of TAV Roofing, was contacted by this newspaper for a statement.

Mr Janes appeared to have no knowledge of the property in question at first, however shortly after acknowledged he had been working on the roof.

An unfinished roof has left the Black’s with more leaks than they originally had

When asked why he had not corresponded with Mr Black as to why he had not completed the roof, Mr Janes said: “I have not been dodging his calls, I have answered this one haven’t I?

“I have emails from Mr Black and ones of me saying I will be returning to the property on August 26 to finish the job.

“I have screenshots I can send you.”

He later told us that he had received no calls or emails from the couple.

When asked why the property had been left unfinished, he said: “I had to pull out because it was taking too long and I have other jobs to do.”

When asked if he thought it was acceptable to have left the property with an unfinished roof for almost a month, Mr Janes said: “It’s just a couple of tiles left to do and it is done.”

Mr Black also told us that the company contracted by TAV Roofing to erect the scaffolding on the property has since turned up to remove it.

They had been told by TAV Roofing that Mr Black had not paid his bill and that it needed to be removed.

Fortunately, Mr Black was able to provide evidence to show he had in fact paid and the scaffolding remains intact for the time being.

After more investigations by this newspaper, it appears that TAV roofing and AAA roofing operate out of the same address and using the same contact number.

A quick scan of their websites show they are registered traders on Checkatrade and Trustatrader, however neither of the two companies exist on a search on the trade checking websites.

Misleading…not a trusted trader

Our reporter contacted Checkatrade who confirmed that TAV Roofing are not registered members of theirs and they are aware that they are illegally using their company logo on the website and this is something they are actively investigating.

However, when asked about AAA Roofing, a spokesperson for Checkatrade told us they currently have a membership, with the contact being Mr Jim Janes, but they are only authorised to use the logo for AAA Roofing and not TAV Roofing.

When asked by our reporter whether the company was TAV Roofing or AAA Roofing, Mr Janes replied: “I don’t know anything about them, i am not talking about that.”

Our reporter explained to Mr Janes how the company is the same address, same contact number and he is the contact registered for Checkatrade he replied: “Are you a lawyer, are you a copper, I don’t have to answer your questions.”

A search on Companies House, which is a government run website providing details for every registered company in the UK, does not respond with any results for TAV Roofing, AAA Roofing or a Mr Jim/James Janes.

Mr Black said: “The reason that we are pursuing this is because we do not want this to happen to anyone else.”

News

Parties make final push as Wales prepares to vote in historic Senedd election

Published

16 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Campaign leaders criss-cross country in last-minute battle for crucial votes

WALES heads to the polls tomorrow (Thursday, May 7) after a frenetic final day of campaigning that saw party leaders, candidates and activists make one last push to win over undecided voters in what is being described as the most unpredictable Senedd election in modern Welsh history.

With polling stations due to open at 7:00am, parties spent Wednesday targeting key battleground constituencies across the country, including the new Ceredigion Penfro seat, amid growing expectations of a fragmented Senedd and a dramatic shake-up in Welsh politics.

The election is the first to be held under Wales’ new expanded Senedd system, with 96 Members of the Senedd being elected across 16 large constituencies using a proportional closed-list voting system.

Reform UK appeared to finish the campaign with significant momentum following a major rally on Tuesday attended by party leader Nigel Farage. The event drew large crowds and considerable online attention as Reform attempted to convert strong polling figures into seats in Cardiff Bay for the first time.

Farage used the rally to attack both Labour and Plaid Cymru, while positioning Reform as the party of “change” for disillusioned voters. Reform campaigners have focused heavily on immigration, cost of living pressures and opposition to what they describe as “wasteful government spending.”

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth spent the final day presenting his party as the main alternative to both Labour and Reform UK, insisting Plaid could “build a fairer Wales” while warning against what he described as “divisive politics.”

Labour figures, including First Minister Eluned Morgan and deputy leader Huw Irranca-Davies, urged voters not to “take risks” with public services, arguing only Welsh Labour could protect the NHS and local councils during a period of economic uncertainty.

Labour activists were heavily focused on turnout operations in traditional strongholds, amid polling suggesting the party could lose ground after decades as the dominant force in Welsh politics.

The Conservatives attempted to rally core voters with warnings about both Labour and Reform, while also focusing on farming, the rural economy and healthcare waiting lists.

In west Wales, Conservative candidates Paul Davies and Sam Kurtz spent the day meeting voters and carrying out final campaign visits across Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion, arguing their experience and local knowledge would be important under the new electoral system.

The Liberal Democrats and Green Party also maintained visible campaigns in several areas, hoping tactical voting and the proportional voting system could help them secure representation.

Across Wales, campaign teams handed out leaflets outside transport hubs, supermarkets and town centres, while social media campaigning intensified throughout the day.

Political analysts believe turnout could prove decisive, particularly because the new voting system means relatively small shifts in support could determine the allocation of the fifth and sixth seats in many constituencies.

The campaign has been dominated by debates over the NHS, farming, the economy, transport, tourism and the rising cost of living, alongside concerns about the future direction of Welsh devolution.

Polling stations open across Wales from 7:00am until 10:00pm on Thursday, with counting due to begin on Friday morning.

The Herald will provide live election coverage online throughout polling day and count day, including updates from count centres, candidate interviews and reaction as results emerge from across west Wales and the rest of the country.

News

Plaid Cymru projected to lead Senedd as Labour faces historic collapse

Published

16 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Final poll suggests Welsh politics could be on the brink of a major realignment

PLAID CYMRU is on course to become the largest party in the Senedd, according to the final YouGov MRP projection for ITV Cymru Wales before polling day.

The model suggests Labour’s century-long dominance of Welsh elections could be coming to an end, with Plaid projected to win 43 seats in the newly expanded 96-member Senedd.

Reform UK is forecast to finish second on 34 seats, while Labour is projected to fall to just 12.

The poll, based on responses from more than 4,600 adults between April 25 and May 4, puts Plaid Cymru on 33% of the vote, ahead of Reform UK on 29%. Labour is on 12%, the Conservatives on 9%, the Greens on 8% and the Liberal Democrats on 6%.

Labour facing major losses

The projection points to a dramatic collapse in Labour support across Wales.

YouGov’s central estimate would represent a notional loss of 32 seats for Labour compared with the 2021 result under the new electoral system.

It would also be Labour’s worst result at any major Welsh election since 1906.

The model suggests Labour may fail to top the poll in any of the 16 new Senedd constituencies, and could return no members at all in four of them.

In west Wales, Labour’s support is projected to have fallen into single figures in some areas.

First Minister Eluned Morgan, who leads Labour’s list in Ceredigion Penfro, could also be at risk if the projection proves accurate.

Reform surge

Reform UK is projected to make major gains, rising from just 1% of the vote in 2021 to 29% in the final pre-election model.

The party’s support appears to be spread widely across Wales, though it is weaker in Cardiff and strongest in parts of the south Wales valleys.

One of the most striking projections is in Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr, which includes the Merthyr Tydfil area where Keir Hardie was elected as Wales’s first Labour MP in 1900.

There, YouGov’s central estimate puts Reform UK narrowly ahead on 34%, Plaid Cymru on 33%, and Labour on 14%.

Smaller parties

The Conservatives are projected to win just four seats, which would be their weakest devolved election result.

That would leave them one short of the five members needed to form an official political group in the Senedd.

The Greens are forecast to enter the Senedd for the first time, winning two seats in Cardiff.

The Liberal Democrats are projected to win one seat in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd, keeping Jane Dodds in the Senedd.

No majority expected

No party is projected to win the 49 seats needed for an outright majority.

YouGov’s modelling suggests Plaid Cymru would be best placed to lead the next Welsh Government, but would probably need support from another party.

Plaid and Labour together reach a majority in most of the model’s simulations, while a Plaid-Green arrangement does so far less often.

A Reform-Conservative majority appears unlikely in the projection.

Under the new D’Hondt voting system, small movements in vote share could still make a significant difference, particularly for the final seats in each constituency.

Polling stations open tomorrow, Thursday, May 7.