Sangster & Annand Slaters Ltd

Sangster and Annand were contracted in July 2022 to conduct repairs to the roof and chimney on the southern gable. They were briefed to ensure the roof and chimney were watertight. They took three weeks and an invoice was submitted with “strictly five days to pay”.

This invoice for £6,626 was paid promptly but sadly before heavy rain was experienced and immediately thereafter, there was significant flood damage to walls from ground level up. All problems that had not been there before Sangster and Annand worked on the roof.

Chris Leiper of Sangster and Annand was contacted and attended the property to look at the issue. He stated that he doubted that it was his work that was at fault.

To prove the point, he got his workmen (the same two who allegedly spent three weeks on the roof) in with ladders to go up and check their work.

They came down with a comically bad video to show how good there work was and this was good enough for Chris to state categorically that his work was sound.

Chris then had a look at the pointing on the southern gable wall and stated that it was the only source of water ingress possible following the work carried out and he recommended sealing the 3-story gable wall with a silicon sealer at cost of approximately £900 plus VAT.

Two days later an independent slater, attended the property and went up on the roof with a ladder and a camera. It was immediately apparent to him where the water was coming from as there were two significant holes in the new cement at the base of two of the five chimneys. This would allow rain water direct access to the wall space below and all the way to the ground floor as it turned out.

Chris Leiper was contacted and requested to attend the property which he did but rather begrudgingly. He was shown the flood damage to walls on three different floors and he was shown the pictures that i now had showing the holes in his slaters new cement and asked if he thought that could be the source of the water ingress. He agreed that it was likely.

He was asked to comment on why his workmen had failed to identify the problem when they went up on the roof with ladders and a took the worst video in history. He had no answer. He was advised of my dissatisfaction and I said I wanted a refund to get the work rectified.

I was contacted by the North East Builders Association (NESBA) and asked if they could get an independent slater to come and have a look at the work carried out by Sangster and Annand. This was agreed.

Once this survey was done I was advised that there were slates held in place with mastic, nail holes uncovered, broken slates, gaps between flashings and slates and that the mixture of cement used was wrong to name a few issues.

The independent slater appointed by NESBA contacted NESBA and myself to advise that the standard of Sangster and Annand’s work was appalling and that Sangster and Annand should provide a full refund to permit the work be redone.

Chris Leiper was determined not to refund and he wanted the opportunity to come back and rectify the issue. However, I pointed out that he had missed that chance when he came back to the property with ladders and filmed the roof badly to lie and cover up what the issues were and then attempt to con me out of a further £900 + VAT to seal a wall that was sound and not the issue.

In January 2023, the firm that surveyed the roof on behalf of NESBA undid all the work done by S&A and made it waterproof once more. Sangster & Annand agreed to be charged for this work by the second contractor and this is an admission by Sangster and Annand that their work was indeed as substandard as was pointed out following the requested inspection by NESBA.

This level of poor workmanship of Sangster and Annand should be a warning to anyone thinking about using their services. They will produce substandard work an