What rights do I have - builder being slow to complete

welsbyc

Hi,

I've had a builder doing a refurb on my house. I've been generally happy with the work done but the final bits and pieces are taking an age for them to finish. They aren't here full time and seem to be averaging 2 days a week. I did use a standard contract (provided by one of the professional bodies for the building trade) and it stated a completion date that came and went 18 days ago. THere is no penalty clause, and they won't get paid until they complete. However not being paid until the work is complete doesn't seem to be moving them any faster. I know they've got a lot of work on, but it seems I'm the one who is suffering.

What rights do I have? I guess that technically they've broken the contract as they have not completed by the agreed date, but how can I use this to get them to get on with it and finish?

Thanks for your help.

Cknocker

All you can do is give them notice that if they don't return to site that they are in breach of their contract with you and you have the right to bring in another contractor to finish the job. Its not nesecarily the best way forward as the job will probably get finished slower and costing more money! Have you asked them if they can get a move on? Say to them I need x finished by a certain date and y finished by another date etc.

The problem you have is basically they are at the end of your job which has a lot of fiddly time consuming elements and they are getting on with larger elements of their next job - thats my supposition anyway, just try giving them a little drive.

welsbyc

Thanks for your response. This morning (after a sleepless night) I joined the which? legal service and got some legal advice. I've now written him a letter stating breach of contract, time is of the essence etc etc and giving them another 14 days to complete the work. The good news is that if they do not complete the works by the specified date then I can get another builder to finish the work and deduct the costs from my current builder's bill.

Hopefully the letter will do the trick.