A North Down builder has been fined for falsely claiming to be a member of a trade association.

Gary Black, most recently of Carrowdore Gardens, Bangor, was made to pay a total of £400 plus £84 court costs at Bangor Magistrates’ Court, yesterday.

Mr Black, trading as 'North Down Roofing Repairs', was prosecuted by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment's Trading Standards Service (TSS), for falsely representing himself as a member of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Mr Black was fined £3,000 at Bangor Magistrates' Court for similar offences on 3 October 2008. In that case he was trading as 'Bangor Roofing Repairs' and had also claimed membership of the FMB.

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Falsely claiming to be a member of a trade association is an offence under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968.

This most recent prosecution follows complaints that Mr Black carried out botched repairs to a customer’s home. Mr Black provided an invoice for this work, on which he claimed he was a member of the Federation of Master Builders.

The customer only learned that Mr Black was not, and never had been, a member of the FMB, having called the organisation to complain about the standard of his work.

TSS Investigating Officer Peter Rankin said: "Misleading customers by falsely claiming to be a member of a trade association implies work will be carried out to a high standard. Such membership also provides peace of mind for consumers, should problems arise and they have to seek redress.

"Such deception is against the law and will be dealt with by the courts. Trading Standards will rigorously enforce the legislation that protects consumers from dishonest and unethical traders."

(PR/JM)