Older ones are make of iron. That makes them valuable as scrap.

No, I don't think they're of much value. They will apparently be replaced tomorrow, as promised in front of witnesses so we'll see.

But you have not authorised it? You could be billed for it. Get them to return the original gutters otherwise they could quite legitimately demand payment.

Just a final update.

Well they eventually turned up today and replaced the guttering. This whole thing has been so weird. I've got the details of our local Trading Standards Office and I'm going to be letting them know what's been going on. I'd feel guilty if I read in the local paper that someone else was pressured into having work done they did not ask for. We're not talking small amounts of money here.