A builder from Sandwich, England, has been jailed after police said he took money for building work in advance and left customers with unfinished projects, missing goods, and unpaid debts.
Michael Rylands, 44, of Burch Avenue, admitted seven fraud offences at Canterbury Crown Court, according to Kent Police.
He also admitted misleading the court by claiming he had cancer when he did not.
For homeowners planning repairs or renovations, the case shows how contractor fraud can begin inside an ordinary project, with an estimate, an advance payment, and work that stops before the job is complete.
Police Say Victims Paid Before Jobs Were Finished
Kent Police said Rylands convinced people to pay for building work in advance between 2019 and 2021, then failed to complete the jobs.
The unfinished projects included ensuite bathrooms and office renovations. In one case, a woman paid £2,000 for a bathroom renovation and later challenged Rylands after receiving an anonymous warning about his offending.
A Pre-School Paid for a Climbing Frame
Police said Rylands also offered to install a climbing frame at an east Kent pre-school at a discounted rate.
He took payments totaling £6,000, cleared a small part of the site, and did not finish the job. The climbing frame he claimed to have ordered never arrived, according to police.
Another Builder Was Left With Missing Windows and Invoices
A builder paid Rylands £3,000 to fit windows as part of an office renovation project, but the windows were never delivered or installed.
Rylands later asked to place one order on that builder’s company account. Police said the company then received 16 unexpected invoices, all referencing Rylands’ contact details, for more than £2,000 in unauthorised goods.
He Was Sentenced to 22 Months
In November 2022, while he was a defendant in a previous fraud case, Rylands tried to stop the trial by claiming he had hospital appointments for cancer treatment. Police said hospital checks found no record of him on the patient database.
Rylands was sentenced on June 26, 2026, to a total of 22 months.
Upfront Payments Should Match Verified Work
The FTC warns homeowners to be cautious with contractors who demand large payments before work is complete, especially when they pressure customers, avoid written terms, or cannot provide verifiable references.
Before major building work begins, homeowners should compare bids, confirm licensing or registration where required, get the scope and payment schedule in writing, and tie payments to clear stages of completed work rather than promises that materials have been ordered.