Date published: 2025-07-16 | Category: Bath, Focusing on prevention, Trading Standards
A Bath-based kitchen fitter has been fined £5,000 and ordered to repay more than £29,000 to two Bath and North East Somerset residents following a successful prosecution brought by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Trading Standards Team.
John Upson, 50, trading as Kitchens of Bath Ltd, was sentenced at Bath Magistrates’ Court on 2 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 6 March 2023 and 11 May 2024.
The court heard Upson accepted deposits of £12,810.61 and £16,370.02 for kitchen supply and installation works. Upson’s 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 business was operated recklessly and falling 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.
Before agreeing to any work, your local Trading Standards team recommend that you:
- Read reviews of traders and if possible use the Buy with Confidence Approved Trader Scheme.
- Ask at least three approved traders for quotes.
- Never pay up front and never pay cash.
- Say no to doorstep sellers.
- Always get a detailed written quotation/contract.
- Check the builder’s references and even pay visits to the references.
- Ask your neighbours, family or friends for personal recommendations of builders who have worked for them and carried out a good job.
Find out more about the council’s Trading Standards Service
ENDS