A homeowner who had already been conned out of £172,000 was being pursued by a cowboy builder on the weekend that he killed himself, a neighbour said yesterday.
Colin Juffs, 65, a retired computer analyst, hanged himself after a small repair job on his chimney spiralled out of control.
He had arranged to remortgage his north London home to pay the builder’s bills but “snapped” when another £125,000 was demanded.
The repointing job became a new roof and substantial work on an end wall.
Maria Pavlou, a neighbour, said: “One weekend the roofer was in the back knocking on the door and calling his name.
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“He was shouting, ‘Colin open the door, Colin open the door’. I think that was when he died.”
In a note to his sister, Mr Juffs insisted that she not spend any more money on the property after his death. An estate agent’s sign yesterday recorded the house in North Finchley as being sold.
Police are investigating the claims of fraud but no arrests have been made.