Retired computer analyst Colin Juffs, 65, killed himself after claiming he had been conned by cowboy builders
A pensioner who believed he had been conned by cowboy builders left a heartbreaking suicide note before taking his own life, an inquest heard.
Retired computer analyst Colin Juffs, 65, had initially hired workers to repoint his chimney – but they later demanded almost £300,000 for ever increasing amounts of work, a coroner was told.
He left a note for his sister, Paula Juffs, in which he said: ‘I really could not see the job getting finished in my lifetime and therefore I have taken the selfish way out.’
He added: ‘I am sorry it ended this way. I will love you always.’
It was Ms Juffs who found her brother’s body at his house in North Finchley, north London, with the note and a file of paperwork relating to the building work that drove him over the edge, the inquest heard.
Ms Juffs, who lives in North Yorkshire, had grown increasingly concerned when she’d not heard from him for several days last July.
This is some of the building work being carried out on the house. after trying to get his chimney repointed the costs had soared within weeks to £297,000
Heartbreaking: This is the suicide note written by Mr Juffs for his sister, Paula
An inquest into his death at North London Coroner’s Court heard that, on entering his house, she found a table pushed towards the door, on which lay his passport and identity documents, a pile of papers relating to his estate and funeral costs, which he had already paid, along with the suicide note.
In the note, Mr Juffs explained how he had been conned by his builder after trying to get his chimney repointed, and the costs had soared within weeks to £297,000.
He detailed the rising costs and the ‘clever’ way he had been scammed – each job requiring another for the whole to be completed.
But he said he ‘finally snapped’ when the £172,000 job had another £125,000 added after he had sought a new mortgage to pay for it.
Mr Juffs – described as ‘intelligent and fun’ – was found dead by his sister in the house on Woodhouse Road in North Finchley on July 27 last year, the inquest heard.
He had last been seen seven days earlier by a neighbour.
His sister called paramedics, but they could not determine an accurate time of death.
Mr Juffs – described as ‘intelligent and fun’ – was found dead by his sister in the house last year
Senior Coroner Andrew Walker said Mr Juffs’ death, though it may have taken place close to July 20, would be recorded as July 27.
Mr Walker recorded a conclusion of suicide.
But, speaking after the inquest, Ms Juffs said police were now investigating the circumstances leading up to the tragic suicide of her brother who had lived in the house for more than 30 years and long since paid off his mortgage.
She said: ‘My brother was an intelligent and very proud man. He could not have faced his friends in the knowledge that he had been the victim of a scam.
‘If he could be scammed like that, then anyone could be. He had been thinking of moving house and so wanted to get the chimney repointed.
‘But within just a couple of months the cost of the building work had escalated to almost £300,000.’
She continued: ‘My brother clearly believed he had been scammed. We believe the builders were conmen using the name of a real building firm.
‘My brother had found them on the internet.’
Paying tribute to her brother, Paula added: ‘We were so close. I knew in my heart something was wrong so we came down. He was so intelligent and fun.
‘I want this to be publicised because this could happen to anyone. People can be conned no matter how sensible they seem.’
A Met Police spokesman told MailOnline an allegation of fraud had been made and an investigation is under way.
No arrests have been made.
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