Building contractors - what are my rights?

fairy_magik

Hi there, I am not sure if I am posting to the right place but here is my position. Down the stairs had a fire which spread to ours so we both contracted a company to do building repairs, decoration, plastering, electrics etc.

We have still not moved in because despite the company saying they are finished, we have had to go and buy paint and go over some paint work, put handles and things back on that were not replaced, take lights down that didn't work and paint under them, clean up dust sheets and paint brushes, paint splatters etc.

We thought we were getting somewhere until we discovered my fire has been damaged, there is a part that has been snapped off so my heating will not set to a temperature so we cannot have it on for safety reasons. The company are refusing to accept liability for this but it was one of their guys. I want to know what my rights are to resolve this as I cannot move back in until this is fixed.

Also....one of their staff was smoking in my house, we saw him on 2 occasions and he put a cigarette out on my fridge, we reported this to his manager and he apologized and then the staff member in question said sorry but I still think this is not acceptable considering my house is an office too as I work from home.

Please help, I have not idea what my rights are, The person I just spoke to said "your boiler etc needs replaced anyway as its quite old" - all very well but it worked fine before this and we cannot afford to get a whole new one (the part may be hard to obtain apparently)

Thanks

Anihilator

Hi there, I am not sure if I am posting to the right place but here is my position. Down the stairs had a fire which spread to ours so we both contracted a company to do building repairs, decoration, plastering, electrics etc.

First problem. "We". You should have made a claim through your insurers and let them solve it. By contracting companies yourself and jointly you reduced your protection and also caused possible conflicts of interest

We have still not moved in because despite the company saying they are finished, we have had to go and buy paint and go over some paint work, put handles and things back on that were not replaced, take lights down that didn't work and paint under them, clean up dust sheets and paint brushes, paint splatters etc.

Why did you do this? If they have been paid to do this you should have insisted it was resolved. If they still refused to do this you should have employed a professional to do it and then chased the contractor through court for reimbursement. By doing it yourself you reduced your rights here

We thought we were getting somewhere until we discovered my fire has been damaged, there is a part that has been snapped off so my heating will not set to a temperature so we cannot have it on for safety reasons. The company are refusing to accept liability for this but it was one of their guys. I want to know what my rights are to resolve this as I cannot move back in until this is fixed.

Safety reasons? Is the boiler actually condemned? Can you prove they were responsible? If you can't you don't have much chance I am afraid as they will just claim it was you or the fire brigade who did it. If you claimed through your insurer you could have added it to the value of the claim though.

Also....one of their staff was smoking in my house, we saw him on 2 occasions and he put a cigarette out on my fridge, we reported this to his manager and he apologized and then the staff member in question said sorry but I still think this is not acceptable considering my house is an office too as I work from home.

Maybe not but what can be done about it? You got an apology not a lot else to do

Please help, I have not idea what my rights are, The person I just spoke to said "your boiler etc needs replaced anyway as its quite old" - all very well but it worked fine before this and we cannot afford to get a whole new one (the part may be hard to obtain apparently)

Well either the boiler was damaged by the fire or it wasnt. If it was you can seek it be repaired/replaced. If its an old boiler simply at the end of its life and now obsolete due to other repairs then you can't

Personally assuming from your post your insurers are not involved I would contact your neighbour CC'ing their insurance stating what is wrong with your property - and your property only and insist that they resolve these issues within a reasonable time frame or you will contract companies to do so yourself and seek reimbursement. Alternatively you could involve your own insurers to do the running but given you didnt involve them from day 1 they probably wont get involved.

fairy_magik

Hi, insurers were involved actually, however, they had a 6 week wait for contractors so we were asked to find someone local so we could be back in our homes as soon as possible. Insurers are therefore paying me money to get the building work etc done. I have been to trading standers today and they said I can withold payment until I am satisfied but thanks.