Builder's Nightmare: Homeowners Left in Ruins, Faced Arrest

Rob and Lucy Davies hired builder Steve Figg for a 12-week home extension, but the project became a year-long disaster. Figg took £44,000 of their money, leaving their Basildon, Essex, home resembling a bomb site with exposed walls and a risk of collapse. The couple, who eventually spent £75,000 in total, endured rats and an unliveable property. After months of trying to contact Figg, he falsely reported the Davieses for harassment, leading to their arrest and 22 hours in police cells before being released with an apology.

Figg, who ran Figg Construction Ltd, admitted to 22 breaches of building regulations at the Davies household and was ordered to pay £85,000 in compensation. Investigations revealed other victims who suffered similar devastation. Gemma Hemmings of Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, described Figg arriving with a chainsaw and sledgehammer, destroying her garden office after a payment dispute. Her family had paid nearly £100,000 for an office and house extension in 2021.

Nick Marns, also from Leigh-on-Sea, paid a substantial sum in 2017 for a property extension that was gutted and left a shambles, resulting in him becoming homeless and needing counselling. Building control officials deemed his build the worst they had ever seen. Marns described Figg as manipulative, prone to lying, and making excuses. The ordeal put immense pressure on his relationships and led to a mental breakdown. Figg faced investigations for potential crimes against four other unnamed victims.