Builders who owe customer £33k have ignored Bath court order

A claimant is still trying to recoup money from builders, more than five months after a judge at Bath County Court awarded her full claim of £33,000.

An independent professional surveyor’s report confirmed substantial defects and missing works at the annexe | Photo provided

The ruling was made at a Fast Track Trial last December, which neither defendant attended.

The first named defendant is JJS Construction SouthWest Ltd. The company’s registered address is in Mulberry Park in Bath, and there is one director, Jonathan Saull.

The second defendant is sole trader Tony Edgell, who the Echo understands lives in Midsomer Norton.

The judgment was made on 2nd December 2025 by Judge Sophie Elboz. It was assessed in the sum of £29,631.18, against the first and second defendants jointly and severally.

The defendants were also ordered to pay the claimant’s costs, which total £3,403.82.

The full amount should have been paid by 4pm on 4th December 2025.

Joint and several liability means that parties are both collectively responsible for the entire obligation (jointly) and individually responsible for the entire obligation (severally).

A creditor can pursue any one of the liable parties for the full amount of the obligation, or pursue all of them, or any combination.

The claimant, who says she has received no money to date, has contacted the Echo to highlight the case, saying there has been “no justice”.

She cares for her parents, who both have dementia. The elderly couple used their house sale money to finance an annexe to be built in the garden of her home near Frome.

The builders had been recommended through the project’s architect. But the claimant says the pair, who jointly undertook the project from March to August 2024, received £111,600+ in payments, and then abandoned the works midway through.

She said they left the annexe “uninhabitable”, broke their contract and tried to charge an additional £24,000.

She says the pair gave contradictory explanations, refused mediation, and provided no invoices or receipts, despite a court order.

An independent professional surveyor’s report, which the Bath Echo has seen, confirms substantial defects and missing works.

The report concludes that the existing roof structure was not constructed as per the design and structural engineer’s drawings.

It says: “Alterations of the roof to meet thermal insulation requirements and the eaves overhang detail will require the stripping and replacement of the existing roof coverings and plasterboard.

“Additional timbers will be required with doubled-up rafters around skylights and noggins installed where missing.

“The external walls will require minor adjustments to weep holes if the current size and dimensions of openings is acceptable.”

It goes on: “The internal plasterboard finish is poor, with incorrect materials used in both the bathroom and throughout the ceiling space. This will require the removal of the existing board finishes and installation of replacement materials.

“Careful review would be needed to ensure that accurate and neat jointing can be made between the new boarding and any retained surfaces.

“The existing retaining wall has been back filled with unsuitable material, including builder’s rubble. We have not seen copies of any structural engineer’s design for the retaining wall that complies with the best practice guidance available.

“As such, we were unable to confirm if the structure of the wall is suitably stable to support the soil and higher ground level.

“The lack of compliance with the guidance suggest the wall will need additional supports and adjustment.”

This week the claimant told the Echo that they have finally been able to move her parents into the annexe. She said: “The financial strain has been horrific. We are now in a lot of debt. My poor parents have missed years of independent living.”

A check of Companies House this week records shows overdue accounts for JJS Construction SouthWest Ltd, which was incorporated in April 2023, but the company is still listed as active, and Mr Saull is still the sole director.

The Echo has contacted both Mr Saull and Mr Edgell, asking them if they wish to say anything.

To date, we have not received a response from either, but we will update this story if we do.