EXCLUSIVE How 'the worst builder in Britain' demolished a family's £500k home after they refused to pay his bill in a bitter war lasting four years

Daily Mail​

01-06-2025

The summer of 2021 should have been a fresh start for the Kurji family - a new beginning in their freshly renovated dream Leicester home. Instead, it was the start of four years of hell that saw them living in a cramped bungalow and drowning under mountainous debts.
Because, what the young family didn't know when they jetted off for a rare holiday that year was they'd return to find this dream in ashes and that depending on who you ask, they were entirely to blame.
It all started with an argument. Mr Kurji claims he fell out with his workman - who he has never named- after refusing to pay him an additional £3,500 because he was unhappy with the standard of his work.
These sorts of dispute aren't uncommon in the building world, but what happened next certainly is.
The row escalated and the builder tore off the roof of his dream home while Mr Kurji was on holiday, leaving behind an interminable construction zone that infuriated neighbours and almost bankrupted the family.
After it was bulldozed, horrified neighbours called the family to tell him that the roof had been removed and the plot had been left scattered with building rubble.
For four years, the house was uninhabitable.
In the interim, the young family were squeezed into a modest bungalow belonging to the paternal parents while the £500,000 home in Guilford Road, on the outskirts of the Midlands city, was once again being rebuilt.
Now finally, they say they have been able to move in, and are trying to put their encounter with the 'worst builder in Britain' behind them for good.
A source close to the family has told how they lost 'tens of thousands of pounds' but are now re-building their lives after their shocking ordeal.
As they are now settling into their 'forever home' in a leafy street in Stoneygate, a desirable suburb of Leicester, Mrs Kurji told a friend: 'The whole episode made us very angry and upset, but it is life, and it has to move on, and we're enjoying living in the house and having so much space.'
The family had been forced to live for several years, squeezed into a modest bungalow belonging to the paternal parents while the £500,000 home in Guilford Road, on the outskirts of the Midlands city, was once again being rebuilt.
The pal, speaking for the first time on the family's behalf, said: 'The house was destroyed in May 2021 and it took ages to rebuild after the owners, not surprisingly had a mistrust of builders and trades people.
'But they found a reliable and competent team and their home was completed in January 2024, and they were thrilled to move in.
'It has seven bedrooms and is open plan downstairs with marble-effect porcelain tiles and underfloor heating, and a beautiful kitchen and garden.
'It is a stunning property and they finally have their forever home. They love it and enjoy living there. It is their happy place.'
The friend told MailOnline how tax adviser Mrs Kurji, 38, and her 44-year-old husband were 'unfairly' blamed by some locals residents for leaving the property inhabitable and 'a pile of rubble' for so long.
They said: 'Mrs Kurji was particularly upset that a couple of neighbours blamed them for the house being knocked down and not being re-built for over two years.
'Then when it was re-constructed some complained, saying it was not in keeping with the street, it was too white, and made it look bad.
'But she insisted it was the family's personal choice and feel they shouldn't be judged.'
The Asian family - including a nine-year-old son and daughter, aged six, and two grandparents - had expected to move in at the end of 2021.
Some of the neighbours blame the family for leaving an unsightly pile of rubble for so long.
And since the re-build they have mixed feelings on the controversial property, with one saying: 'It is a monstrosity and looks out of place in a street full of mainly red brick Edwardian houses.'
A man living opposite, who declined to be named, said of the large white washed three-storey building with pitched grey roof and matching plastic window frames, said: 'A modern house should not have a place like this in the street but would fit well on a new build estate.'
He said there had, surprisingly, not been one single objections to the plans submitted to Leicester City Council.
The resident of 22 years told MailOnline: 'I saw the plans and wanted to object but was told not to make nay negative comments by my wife who wanted to keep the peace.'
Another said: 'It looks different and sticks out like a sore thumb. But it is their choice and shouldn't judge their style.
'We're more concerned about the road here because drivers are using it as a rat run from London Road, racing along a residential road.
'The council fail to do anything, and sadly, it may take a death before they do, and need to introduce a traffic calming scene,.'
The Kurji source, revealing the family's nightmare, told how they were granted planning approval to a 1920's standard detached house, which had been owned y a widowed pensioner and was very dated, into a modern six-seven bedroom house with an extension and loft concession.
They got on board an English builder called Thomas (no surname), who was self trading, and had been recommended by several previous customers and friends, and they had viewed the work done.
But while the family was on holiday in Wales there was a dispute over payment between the family and builder, who had been left working during their absence.
The friend said: 'The builder had been paid an initial sum agreed when a dispute followed.
'The house had three outer walls and no back wall facing the garden, which was waiting for bifold doors to be installed, and no roof.
'While the family was away, the builder was due to be constructing the triangular roof.
'They had already paid him lots of money, tens of thousands of pounds, but it was agreed that he had to do X, Y and Z before the next payment instalment was made.
'While they were on holiday the builder kept calling the Mr Kurjo saying 'Pay me, pay me!' but he was told the agreed works needed to be completed first.
'The next thing a neighbour rang Jay to say the three standing walls and roof structure had been bulldozed and totally demolished.
'The family was very angry and upset but the builder did a runner and they have never heard from him since. He just ran away.
The source continued: 'They were devastated when they saw the house, and have since had to live in a bungalow while they had to re-do everything they had already paid for.
'They got new builders in, which initially they had been wary about doing, but the owner's father-in-law stayed there every hour to oversee, like a hawk, all th worked being done.
'He is the major reason the house was completes, he put in immense hours and watched them morning and night.
'He had to keep his eye in them because they were concerned about the actions of the previous builder.
'The couple have a big mortgage on the property and they have lost tens of thousands of pounds.
'They have since heard on the grapevine that the builder, who was never investigated by police over his action, had an intention to exit the project half way through and take the money,
'It appears the job was too big for him and his sub contractors, and there was a lot of lying.
'But they are having to put al this behind them and not dwell on it.
'They enjoy living in the house, they love it, and the children, who were very young at the the time have seen the journey of the house.
'They kept the design very simple and modern, but it has lots of space inside. It is there forever home.
'They say their neighbours, despite a few objecting ones, are really nice and they all look out for each other and have a community WhatsApp page.
'All they want now is for the council to introduce some traffic calming measures to stop traffic speeding along the street.'
Mr Kurji previously admitted that he and the builder had fallen out over a £3,500 bill.
Speaking in April 2021, he told how he had bought the house the previous year for £475,000.
He said: 'The builder started in February and 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 in Britain.'