An Epsom builder has been ordered to pay more than £4,000 after forging documents for a customer who raised concerns over his work.

Thomas Peare, 28, of Langley Vale was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,180 after pleading guilty to an offence under counterfeiting and forgery laws.

He was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on December 17 after being taken to court by Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards.

Peare had carried out work at a home in Reigate which included removing a wall.

The customers paid a deposit in advance but had concerns about the standard of Peare’s work.

Peare then gave them a building regulations certificate in the name of a building control firm but trading standards officers discovered it was forged.

Peare was ordered to pay fines and prosecution costs plus the mandatory victims’ surcharge of £170 – giving a total of £4,350.

Denise Turner-Stewart, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Fire and Resilience, said: “A thorough investigation by our trading standards officers in this unusual case led to Peare being brought to court.

"We’ll continue doing all we can to seek justice for our residents and protect them from unscrupulous practices.”