HELP! builders have damaged my door!

happymummy24-7

something tells me they may not know what method statements are-small time guys with big flashy pimp my ride type pickup jeeps!! If they are working as rouge traders where do i stand? also where does my neighbour fit into all this-i dont want to fall out as we will be getting work done ourselves someday,but do they have to insure workers on their property incase of damage to others?

Teza511

The company should have insurance. I pay public liability insurance as a capenter. Rogue traders ! health & safety will have a lot to say.
As for next door just be nice to them & to be honest you could be doing them a faver. Cause with traders like that, come the end of the job they will drag on & not finnish the job to a good standard.

Incisor

Largely the same advice as everyone else, but when it comes to court, you have an equal claim against your neighbour. Your household insurance may give legal cover. Although it is unpleasant to take on the neighbour, the builders are their 'servants', for whom they are responsible. Additionally, if you get your claim in place before the neighbours pay, they may be inclined to withold payment until it is sorted, which in turn will make the builders more attentive. Don't whatever you do get bullied into letting this lot fix it for you unless you are really happy about it.

Frenchtoast_2

happymummy24-7 wrote: »

ok consumerline cant help me because i didnt employ him...lucky me!!

Im scared to contact health and safety because although he is breaking at least 4 codes eg leaving large containers of petrol sitting on the drive overnight ect as the people he is actually employing are hardworking normal guys who are just doing their job,and probably arnt paid too well and im scared they would loose their jobs!!

Hi Laura
The Health and Safety Exec have an advice line. You could run a scenario past them without actually giving them all the details unless you wanted to.
I think this builder has been watching too much CSI from your account of events. It is highly unlikely that the services of a forensic scientist are going to be employed in this type of scenerio. He is just chancing his arm to avoid paying for the damage.Time now perhaps to let him know how determined you are.
Some options possibly.
Find out the name of the builders eg whether it is a sole trader or a limited company and write to them telling them that you entend to persue this matter.It should be possible to recover the "amount" through the small claims court locally. Civil courts work on the "balance of probabilities" standard of proof.rather than " beyond reasonable doubt" which would be the required standard of proof in the magistrates court.
Report the matter to the PSNI it is criminal damage after all.
Recommend this builder to everyone:D
As previously suggested report the matter to Health and safety
I know you dont want to fall out with the neighbours or get folk into trouble but you didnt start this and you only want the matter put right. If you let it go he walks away laughing. A sharp reply to him through a solicitor (if you dont fancy it yourself) might get the required response. If not the small claims court on the balance of probabilities sholf find in your favour.
Good luck Notso happymummy that is

happymummy24-7

thanks frenchtoast,i will certinally be recommending these builders to all who will listen :rotfl:

We are trying to get all the details from our neighbour however they are hiding from us :rolleyes: but hubby will be banging abit louder tonight on their door (obviously extremley carefully so as not to cause any damage!!)
I will go down the suggested route of H+S and send them a letter to say im taking them to the small claims court once i get the address that is!
Should i get a quote from a company for replacing the door? (builder had said that if he did accept responsability he would be able to replace the door for £400 and laughed when i said they cost us £1200,saying i was ripped off,which im sure i was but for the size of the whole door and side windows and in the nice oak colour i paid it!)anyway im not asking for £1200!
Right at this moment the rain is pounding on the front door and no doubt will be leaking through the two holes.........he better hope the wooden floor doesnt get water damage :mad:
thanks for all you help,i couldnt do without you's!

arkonite_babe

Laura

I'll move this over to the in my home board now to see if you can get some more help with this

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happymummy24-7

Thank you arkonite xxx

woodbutcher_2

Just read through this thread and had to laugh at the forensic test thing.Been in the building trade over 30 years and thought i had heard every excuse there was but that's a new one.

Could you say exactly where the holes are?It's very unlikely that water will get in your house.PVC framing is made of chambers and it may be that a little water get's in the framing but not right through.

The contractor sounds like a right pillock.The type that get the rest of us a bad name.He should have informed you what he was doing,asked permission to place his scaffolding on your boundary and definitely should have took precautions to protect your property,especially vunerable areas such as door and window cills.I would have done all those things as a minimum.He is in the wrong and he knows it.Complain long and loud to anyone who will listen.

misgrace

happymummy24-7 wrote: »

haha,i know im half laughing myself!
I have photos taken from the moment it happened even with all the rubble laying on the drive! Every chip from every angle which are so obvious as under the oak colour is white pvc!! the two holes are at this moment now filled up with the final stuff they throw on the plaster,the dash stuff,as they have been doing that all day!

Well done for taking pics , and please take this further whether its H&S road, or the courts road, as they must not be allowed to get away with this.

I am a P&D fortunately I work for myself, but have at times have to work with other trades, infact, in a job at the moment with other trades, and I feel like crying with what I have seen
I cant go into too much detail, at the moment, but they are taking the proverbial, and I mean really taking the proverbial.
The owners are not around, so the house is empty, and treating like a building site, infact they were suposed to be finished before I started, but due to them faffing around they are behind, I have to work alongside them, as have other work booked in, so I need to try and work with them so I can go on to my next job, but its a nightmare , not only the mess, caused thru them I may add, but someone has very light fingers.

My heart has gone out to the owners,as they are the nicest couple you could ever meet, they are taking steps to sort this out, this is why I cant say too much, but you need to get your neighbours on your side, explain to them its not a dig at them, but you cant allow this to go unchallanged, imagine if it was an elderly person next door instead of you, they cant fight.

I am sick to death of certain cowboy tradespeople giving us honest ones a bad name, and they must not be allowed to get away with it.:mad:

Let us know how you get on.

andrew-b

It seems obvious to me that the builders have absolutely no intention of accepting responsibility.

Do you have legal cover with your own buildings/contents insurance company. If so i'd get in touch with them as they should give you free advice on what to do. Even if you don't have legal cover it may still be worth a chat with your insurance company - whether you intend to put a claim in or not. If someone damages your car contacting the insurance company is usually one of the first thing you would do...so why any different if someone damages your house?