Builder Demolishes A $600,000 House While Its Owners Are On Holiday

The property, situated in Stoneygate, Leicester, has been left without a roof and scattered with rubble after the builder decided to undo the work he had carried out. Neighbors living on the street claimed they watched in disbelief as the house was demolished with a digger. It’s revealed the builder took revenge after the owner, Jay Kurji, refused to pay him an additional £3,500. 

Kurji, 40, has since contacted the police, but they said it was a civil matter and not a criminal case. And as a result, he has emailed Trading Standards. 

Kurji, a Solutions Architect for an IT firm, explained that he bought the house last year and that the builder started in February, adding: “We wanted lots of work done so it could become our family home for six of us.” We wanted a two-storey extension, a new roof, new wiring, and for it to be more environmentally friendly. It’s a nightmare, unfortunately, I picked the worst builder.”  

He continued: “I had gone on holiday and was 200 miles when it all happened on Tuesday. I’ve contacted the police, who said it was a dispute and not a criminal case, and I’ve emailed Trading Standards. I’m still on holiday, so it’s difficult to sort out from here.” Kurji further claimed he would contact Leicester City Council about the pavement when he returned from vacation. 

A spokesperson for Leicestershire police has also said they received a report on Tuesday afternoon regarding a dispute over the quality of some building work carried out in Leicester. 

They added: “The caller was advised that the dispute was a civil matter, and further advice was issued in relation to who the caller could make contact with to assist with the matter.” However, one of the neighbors who witnessed the demolition reportedly said: “There was scaffolding on the house, and when it was taken down, I did think the work might be done already, and the owners might be moving in.”

The neighbor continued: “I was stunned when I walked past the house last week and saw that the roof had been ripped off and the new extension was just a hole in front of the house. I feel badly for the owners, they must be gutted.” 

Another neighbor told LeicestershireLive that the building work had left the street a mess. They shared: “The work had been going on and there was scaffolding up, and it all had planning permission. Then people noticed the builders starting to remove things and demolish the work that had been done. The neighbors are really upset with how it looks and the fact that it has also ruined the pavement.”