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Rogue builder’s jail sentence ‘won’t rebuild broken home’
The Mileham's home has been left with plastic sheets where walls should be and mould and cracks on the ceiling after a botched extension had to be torn down. These pictures were taken in October 2020, but building work began in November last year. Photo: Vicki Mileham - Credit: Archant
A family of three left with a botched extension told of their relief that the builder who harassed them is behind bars awaiting sentencing.
Ellie and Ruby, Ms Mileham's daughters, sent an appeal to DIY SOS to help them rebuild their home. Photo: Ruby and Ellie Mileham - Credit: Archant
But Vicki Mileham and her twin daughters, Ellie and Ruby, 14, said any potential jail time would not rebuild their home or lives.
The three were left with cracks and mould on their ceiling and plastic sheets where walls should have been when they hired Diamond Standard Renovations to build an extension on their Belton home in 2019.
Ms Mileham admitted her daughters were so desperate they had applied to DIY SOS for help.
Between November 2019 and March 2020, Ms Mileham transferred £79,550 to the company, co-owned by Reece Lloyd and Kyle Muir, for work which was never completed, and was so unsafe it had to be torn down.
The plastic sheets which are currently substituting for one of the walls of the property. Photo: Vicki Mileham - Credit: Archant
Mr Muir appeared in Norwich Magistrates’ court on Wednesday for harassing Ms Mileham and her partner when they named and shamed him in a Facebook post asking for material donations to help secure the house, as well as a string of other offences. He was sent to the crown court for sentencing.
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Ms Mileham said: “I’ve felt so scared and worried for months. When we tried to ask for help online Kyle would threaten us.
“We were just trying to get the house watertight before winter and had no other options but to turn to Facebook. The mould in my daughter’s room is making her ill.
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“Neigbhours are getting fed up with the eyesore it’s become, and so am I.”
Kyle Muir appeared in Norwich magistrates' court for harassment charges against a former customer, but was sent to Norwich Crown Court for sentencing. Photo: Supplied - Credit: Archant
She added: “While I’m glad he’s being punished, that doesn’t rebuild my broken home or our lives. We’ve sold everything we have to pay for new materials. I’ve got no money left, and can’t take out any more loans.”
Ms Mileham said the “saddest thing of all” was having nobody to turn to.
“Trading Standards are investigating what’s happened, but when they came for a site visit they told me straight away my money was as good as gone. I’m going to be in debt until my daughters are 31.”
Her partner, Asher Paniri, said he had become “paranoid” after Mr Muir made claims about him in a Facebook post.
The remains of the torn-down extension mean there has been flooding in Ms Mileham's makeshift insecure kitchen - leading to damp and mould. Photo: Vicki Mileham - Credit: Archant
Mr Paniri said: “It’s been a horrible year for us both. But the one good thing to come out of it is that we’ve found each other.”
In a statement, a Norfolk County Council Trading Standards’ spokesperson said: “We are investigating this matter, and wouldn’t be able to comment further at this time.”
