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Homeowners are being warned as people are being scammed out of thousands of pounds by rogue roofers.
Citizens Advice said growing numbers of households are falling victim to fraudsters who invent problems, carry out shoddy work, or demand payment for repairs that are never completed.
Roofing scams made up 10% of all fraudulent goods or services complaints to the charity's consumer service over the past year, with one in four roofing complaints identified as suspected scams.
Citizens Advice warning to UK homeowners amid rogue roofers
Dame Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: "Poor quality work is an issue in the roofing sector.
"But there's a difference between a roofer who does a shoddy job and a scammer who commits a calculated crime – designed solely to extort money from homeowners.
"Scammers exploit the fact that roofs are out of sight and reach, knowing most people can't easily inspect the work themselves.
"Our advisers help thousands of people caught out by roofing scams each year.
"With the impacts often devastating – leaving people thousands of pounds out of pocket – we're urging consumers to make thorough checks before agreeing to building work."
Many victims reported traders vanishing with their money, inventing issues, using aggressive sales tactics, or demanding payments in a way that left them feeling threatened.
Three-quarters of suspected roofing scams involved doorstep sales.
One woman from the North East, who lives alone and is 65, shared her experience with Citizens Advice.
She had posted an online ad seeking help with a gutter issue and was quickly contacted by two men who offered to visit the same day for £250.
They claimed she needed "eave protection" to prevent water damage and quoted £2,500 for immediate repairs.
After an hour, they claimed there was another problem and insisted she pay on the spot.
The woman said: "I was afraid – two men in front of me in the dark, demanding money and making it clear they weren't moving.
"They knew I was alone; I didn't feel like I could deal with anything that might happen after, so I paid £3,500."
She later discovered no work had been done and was unable to contact the men.
With support from Citizens Advice, Trading Standards, and the Financial Ombudsman Service, she received a refund from her bank and £800 compensation from the online platform she used to post the ad.
National Trading Standards chairman, Lord Bichard, said: "Roofing fraud is a particularly cruel crime because it turns the place where people should feel safest – their own home – into a source of fear.
"Criminals invent urgent problems that are difficult for homeowners to verify, then use intimidation and pressure to extract thousands of pounds."
What is Citizens Advice?
Citizens Advice is a UK national charity that provides free, confidential, and independent advice to help people resolve practical, legal, financial, and consumer problems.
Formerly known as the Citizens Advice Bureau, the organisation operates as a network of independent local charities across England and Wales (alongside partner networks like Citizens Advice Scotland).
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The charity offers guidance on benefits, debt, housing, employment, consumer rights, energy bills, discrimination, and immigration.
It provides support via national phone lines (Adviceline), online webchat, digital self-help content, and face-to-face drop-in sessions at local branches.
Citizens Advice uses anonymous client data and casework evidence to lobby policymakers and improve laws and public policies.
Have you or anyone you know fallen victim to a scam before? Let us know in the comments.