Bath kitchen installer jailed over £92,000 fraud

Owen Garbett, 39, of Nailsea, Bristol, was sentenced to a 15-month custodial sentence at Bristol Crown Court on Friday 6 November, after pleading guilty in January 2026 to fraudulent trading, contrary to the Companies Act 2006. The offending took place between February 2023 and March 2024.

An investigation by the National Trading Standards South West Regional Investigation Team found that eight customers and three tradespeople, including victims in Bath, Bristol and London, suffered combined losses exceeding £92,000 at the hands of Garbett, director of The Bath Kitchen Project Limited. He dishonestly took payments for kitchens and home improvements that were never completed, while also failing to pay tradespeople for their work.

Rather than using customers' deposits to pay for their own projects, Garbett used the money to fund existing contracts and keep his business running. He admitted lying to customers to buy himself time, repeatedly promising that work would be completed or refunds provided. He even sent emails from a fictitious employee called "Dan" to maintain his deception.

He repeatedly misled customers about the progress of their kitchens, making excuses for delays and promising refunds that never materialised. In one case, after receiving £16,900 towards a £22,200 kitchen and utility room project, Garbett claimed the customer's kitchen was nearly finished and sent photographs as evidence. However, two of the images were found to be two years old and could not have shown the customer's kitchen.

Another victim in Bath paid £18,000 for a new kitchen that was left unfinished. Garbett repeatedly promised to complete the work. Despite assuring her that work would resume in February 2024, he never returned.

The fraud also affected legitimate tradespeople. A self-employed kitchen installer obtained a County Court Judgment against The Bath Kitchen Project Limited for £21,395 in unpaid fees but never received the money. Another tradesman, who had known Garbett since school, abruptly stopped receiving wages from him at a time when he was preparing to become a father.

The National Trading Standards South West Regional Investigation Team is hosted by Bristol City Council.

Lord Bichard, Chair of National Trading Standards, said:

“This fraud left homeowners thousands of pounds out of pocket, with unfinished projects and repeated excuses from someone they had trusted to carry out improvements to their homes.

“But the impact extended beyond homeowners to honest tradespeople who carried out work in good faith and were never paid. These are hardworking individuals and small businesses who rely on being paid for their services to support themselves and their families. Fraud like this doesn't just harm consumers – it threatens livelihoods and undermines legitimate businesses that work hard to earn their customers' trust.

“Anyone concerned about a trader or who believes they may have been the victim of a scam should contact the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133. They can provide advice and refer information to Trading Standards for investigation where appropriate.”

Councillor Stephen Williams, Chair of the Public Health and Communities Committee, said:

"Fraud that leaves people out of pocket and undermines trust in our communities will not be tolerated.

"The harm caused by rogue traders goes far beyond financial loss. Victims are often left feeling vulnerable, distressed and unsure who they can trust. These criminals damage confidence in reputable tradespeople who work hard to provide honest, high-quality services.

"We hope this conviction sends a clear message that those who exploit for financial gain will be held accountable. We will continue to work closely with partner agencies across the country to identify, investigate and bring rogue traders to justice."