Another roofing cartel punished

The victims of the cartel activity included the developers for the New Bull Ring in Birmingham and two local authorities, who had let contracts for a swimming pool and a car park.

In three cases Rock Asphalte paid losing contractors compensation for backing off the contract or providing a cover bid that they knew would be higher than its own tenders. Briggs Roofing & Cladding was paid £15,000 and £50,000 in relation to two contracts and Prater was paid £35,000 in respect of one contract.

Construction is high on the OFT's hit list. This is the fifth infringement decision by the OFT involving flat roofing contractors and the penalties imposed today bring the total fines in this sector to just over £4.3m.

So far the OFT has not been able to fine firms outside the flat roofing sector, but officials say investigators are trying. Last month The Times reported that the OFT would bug hotel rooms to prevent bid rigging in Olympic venue construction, but the OFT denied this.

Leniency, where whistleblowers have their fines waived or reduced, continues to be a decisive tool for investigators. Briggs Roofing & Cladding was granted 100% leniency because it was the first party to volunteer information in the OFT's pre-existing investigation in this case. Six other parties were granted varying degrees of leniency.