Hundreds of thousands lost as South England builder accused of deposit fraud

Over 30 homeowners across the south of England report paying deposits amounting to nearly £500,000 to South Coast Construction (Sussex) Ltd for building work that was never delivered, prompting a Sussex Police fraud probe. Victims, including a Southampton couple who lost £16,000 and a Burgess Hill resident still seeking a £12,000 refund, say the firm misled them with false accreditations and a bogus insurance claim. The company’s director, Brandon Harris-Lee, insists he never intended to keep money without performing work, blaming subcontractor delays and cash-flow problems.

Trade bodies such as Home Improvement Protection, Checkatrade, Which? Trusted Trader, the Federation of Master Builders and TrustMark have stripped the firm of memberships after discovering the misrepresentations. While 29 customers have recovered funds via their banks, eight are being advised to take the case to the financial ombudsman, and five county court judgments total over £37,000 remain outstanding.