Please advise - it's all gone SO wrong

lisawaters

HyperAngelKaeverak wrote: »

Hey Lisa,
I'm sure you'll get through the hard times, life always has ups and downs and you seem like the kind of person who can tough it out and make it through this. Just remember life is a roller coaster and it can't always be the best. But I'm sure it will improve, things always tend to work out for the best in the end.

I can't argue with that but it's scary when it's all downs for too long. I've always worked hard and been worried about going into debt or not being able to afford to pay a bill. For someone who's always needed to feel secure financially this has been a bit of a 'mare!

Mike

lisawaters

Buffythedebtslayer wrote: »

No talk of ovens gas or otherwise!

It will change. DO not give up ok. There will be a way, give us time and we will find it.

xxxx

Had a chat with TRADING STANDARDS this morning. They aren't interested as it's one case, there's no evidence he's done it before, it's under £5k and it wouldn't be a case where they are acting on behalf of the public as a whole.

They say it's a matter for a judge as it's a civil matter.

I said, what if I go round the houses this afternoon quoting for work and taking deposits then do a runner? Apparently unless they detect a pattern they won't get involved. They'll 'have a word with me' and help me work legally.

She referred me back to the court.

The courts won't give advice on specific cases

I can't pay a lawyer...

Here we go again.

I've been trying to think what this situation reminds me of... it's like someone grabs your wallet and runs away smack into the arms of a copper. The copper pats him on the head and says 'mind how you go!' and the mugger stands there waving your wallet in your face and taunting you.

You take him to court and they tell him to give it back, if he wouldn't mind? Or maybe he'd be willing to give it back a fiver at a time if that's easier for him (well times are hard).

He's sitting in court with your wallet on the table in front of him. and if you decide to grab it, you're the one who's committed a crime.

mrs:optimist_2

lisawaters wrote: »

I can't argue with that but it's scary when it's all downs for too long. I've always worked hard and been worried about going into debt or not being able to afford to pay a bill. For someone who's always needed to feel secure financially this has been a bit of a 'mare!

Mike

Mike?

I do feel for you, I hope that things start looking up for you very soon. x

lisawaters

mrs:optimist wrote: »

Mike?

I do feel for you, I hope that things start looking up for you very soon. x

Thak you so much. I've emailed my MP again this morning...




Nick Gibb MP
Mr Gibb


I appreciate your letter updating me on your actions regarding my DWP benefit tribunal but this is only one of the problems I'm having, and they're linked.

I have told you that a builder quoted for renovating my cottage, demanded money up front, worked for a few weeks, wrecked the house and walked off saying he wasn't going to make any profit on the job. Since then I've been trying to get the money back through the county court.

I have a CCJ against him, and a final charging order against his house. He refuses to pay me anything, presumably because he doesn't have to. The court won't force him to. It's now up to me to apply for a force of sale order, which it is unlikely I will get. One judge at the local court told him and me at the last hearing in January that she didn't think the money involved was enough to warrant making him sell his house.

So I may get the money when he sells his house but there are loopholes he may know about that can even stop him having to pay me then.

Trading Standards aren't interested. It's over £5,000, it's a one-off by the builder as far as they know, and it's a matter for a judge. In fact no-one seems interested.

Surely as an MP you have some influence on the system?

I have been writing about this case on the Moneysavingexpert.com site and there's a huge group of people who are angry about this and who are willing to email en mass to raise attention to this case. This may include local and national media. It would be great to be able to say that you had been helpful in changing the situation. Please accept this as an invitation to come and see the house for yourself. You can read about the case at: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2280981

The courts won't advise on individual cases, and say I have to get a solicitor. The CAB and various helplines all offer conflicting iews about the details of the case. I can't pay fora solicitor as I haven't been able to work for 18 months. And as you know my incapacity benefit was dropped pending an appeal which is next month.

I am in extreme financial distress and this builder is allowed to go around quoting for work and taking deposits from householders and running off and nothing is done to stop him! He has £22,050 of MY money!

it's like someone grabs your wallet and runs away smack into the arms of a copper. The copper pats him on the head and says 'mind how you go!' and the mugger stands there waving your wallet in your face and taunting you.

You take him to court and they tell him to give it back, if he wouldn't mind? Or maybe he'd be willing to give it back a fiver at a time if that's easier for him (well times are hard).

He's sitting in court with your wallet on the table in front of him. and if you decide to grab it, you're the one who's committed a crime.


Please could you get involved in this a little more and tell me what I should do?

Happytogetdebtfree

Hi I've been Reading your case and just wondered I'm confused I thought you said he owes you 5k but he has 22k of your money has he done some of your work and only owes u 5k? I don't know what to suggest it's a terrible situation hope things work out And the mp helps x

miggy

mrs:optimist wrote: »

Mike?

Mrsoptimist,
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=30134797&postcount=127
HTH!

Mike - if you can get your story in the papers, maybe someone else who's been wronged by the builder will come out of the woodwork? Could the people who originally recommended him tell you where they heard about him? Anything to build up your case

lisawaters

Happytogetdebtfree wrote: »

Hi I've been Reading your case and just wondered I'm confused I thought you said he owes you 5k but he has 22k of your money has he done some of your work and only owes u 5k? I don't know what to suggest it's a terrible situation hope things work out And the mp helps x

Not sure about the £5k you're talking about. Maybe the upper limit for the Trading Standards people?

The written quote was for £38,500. The balance after we agreed he'd done £16,500-worth of work was £22,050 including costs and interest. His house equity is around £160,000 and he said under oath his last year's accounts show he earned more than £100,000 and his wife works. I think he can afford to pay me.

Mike

lisawaters

miggy wrote: »

Mrsoptimist,
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=30134797&postcount=127
HTH!

Mike - if you can get your story in the papers, maybe someone else who's been wronged by the builder will come out of the woodwork? Could the people who originally recommended him tell you where they heard about him? Anything to build up your case

Doing what I can to get it publicised... but the media's cautious about naming people and citing details.

The people who recommended him have known him for years and used him as a builder domestically and commercially. They're 'surprised' he's gone bad...

So am I!

BILLIE

lisawaters wrote: »

Had a chat with TRADING STANDARDS this morning. They aren't interested as it's one case, there's no evidence he's done it before, it's under £5k and it wouldn't be a case where they are acting on behalf of the public as a whole.

They say it's a matter for a judge as it's a civil matter.

I said, what if I go round the houses this afternoon quoting for work and taking deposits then do a runner? Apparently unless they detect a pattern they won't get involved. They'll 'have a word with me' and help me work legally.

She referred me back to the court.

The courts won't give advice on specific cases

I can't pay a lawyer...

Here we go again.

I've been trying to think what this situation reminds me of... it's like someone grabs your wallet and runs away smack into the arms of a copper. The copper pats him on the head and says 'mind how you go!' and the mugger stands there waving your wallet in your face and taunting you.

You take him to court and they tell him to give it back, if he wouldn't mind? Or maybe he'd be willing to give it back a fiver at a time if that's easier for him (well times are hard).

He's sitting in court with your wallet on the table in front of him. and if you decide to grab it, you're the one who's committed a crime.

This is where HappytogetDebtFree has seen you refer to the debt as under £5K. Also confused what do you mean by that?
Either way you have been wronged and I would do all I could to find out who else he has done work for. Contact them and hopefully build (so about the pun) up a case for Trading Standards.

mrs:optimist_2

miggy wrote: »

Mrsoptimist,
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=30134797&postcount=127
HTH!

Mike - if you can get your story in the papers, maybe someone else who's been wronged by the builder will come out of the woodwork? Could the people who originally recommended him tell you where they heard about him? Anything to build up your case

Ah, thank you, I got very confused there for a moment! (not difficult to do lol)