Four men have been sentenced for defrauding homeowners out of more than £1 million by exploiting the Government’s Green Deal initiative. The group, which targeted victims across Yorkshire and Derbyshire, offered home improvement services, particularly the supply and fitting of windows and doors, between April 2017 and August 2019.
The defendants used fake names and misrepresented their services to secure contracts. They delivered defective work, including poor-quality windows that were often undersized, cracked, or scratched. The shoddy installations caused significant damage to homeowners’ walls, leaving large gaps around the windows.
Their scam was promoted through a misleading advertising campaign that featured June Brown, the well-known Eastenders star who portrayed Dot Cotton. The ads were designed to attract customers, at which point the group used aggressive sales tactics to convince them to pay large deposits for subpar work.
The convicted men were found guilty of fraud and proceeds of crime offences related to their operations as home improvement companies. The sentences handed down by Leeds Crown Court were as follows:
Zulkernan Mahmood, 36, from Bradford, was sentenced to six years and four months in prison, with a 10-year criminal behaviour order and disqualified from being a director for 14 years.
Rehan Yousaf, 47, from Bradford, received a sentence of two years and six months in prison, to run consecutively with a sentence of seven years and 11 months he is already serving. He also faced a 10-year criminal behaviour order and a 12-year disqualification from being a company director.
Jonathan O’Grady, 37, from Bridlington, was handed a two-year suspended sentence, 220 hours of unpaid work, and a six-year disqualification from being a director.
David Goody, 54, from Bradford, was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and disqualified from being a director for three years.
A fifth man, Jordan Coalby, 31, from Bacup, Lancashire, failed to attend court, and an arrest warrant has been issued for him.
The National Trading Standards Yorkshire and Humber Regional Investigations Team, hosted by City of York Council, led the investigation that uncovered the fraud. Lord Michael Bichard, chair of National Trading Standards, expressed concern over the impact of such scams on homeowners, leaving many with expensive repairs and financially destabilized. He urged consumers to remain vigilant and avoid being pressured into paying for home improvement services without proper checks.
Councillor Jenny Kent from City of York Council also emphasized the importance of protecting homeowners and maintaining trust in energy-efficient improvements. The investigation serves as a warning to others seeking to exploit homeowners through fraudulent schemes.