A Bath kitchen fitter has been fined £5,000 and ordered to repay more than £29,000 to two local residents following a prosecution by B&NES Council’s Trading Standards team.
50-year-old John Upson, trading as Kitchens of Bath Ltd, was sentenced at Bath Magistrates’ Court on 2nd July 2025 after pleading guilty to two counts of failing to meet professional diligence standards, in breach of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 between 6th March 2023 and 11th May 2024.
The court heard Upson accepted deposits of £12,810.61 and £16,370.02 for kitchen supply and installation works.
His bank records revealed that he had not used the funds to procure goods or services related to the projects. Instead, the money was not protected, disappeared into his other financial liabilities, and customers received neither their kitchens, nor refunds.
The investigation found the business was “operated recklessly” and fell significantly below the standards expected in the industry, including honest market practice and good faith.
Magistrates ordered Upson to repay the total amount of £29,180.63 to the victims. He was also fined £5,000 and directed to pay prosecution costs of £10,046.
Councillor Manda Rigby, cabinet member for communications and community at Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “The council takes seriously issues of rogue trading and residents being awarded their losses back is a good outcome in this case.
“Breaches of consumer protection legislation can have a huge detrimental impact on consumers and our Trading Standards team will do what they can to protect residents in Bath and North East Somerset.”
The council runs an approved trader scheme called ‘Buy with Confidence’, where residents can search for local businesses which have been vetted and approved by Trading Standards.
Anyone looking for a local business to carry out some work is encouraged to visit the Buy With Confidence website.
Anyone who thinks they might have fallen victim to a rogue trader, should report it to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service who work in partnership with Bath & North East Somerset Trading Standards. Telephone 0345 40 40 506.
