6yrs on from Conservatory Build - still not finished!

laalaa

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if I could ask for opinions on a situation my parents are having right now. Apologies for my non technical descriptions.

In 2004, they paid £18k for a conservatory, and £1.5k for upvc trim/new guttering round house from a major uk double glazing and conservatory company.Fast forward 6 years and they have had such problems with it.

2 years after install, we noticed the brick wall at side of the conservatory was soaking wet inside. Brick was water marked really badly and skirting boards had started to warp. This has been going on now for 4 years with various reasons cited for it, and various fixes. At first it was blamed on the slabs on the top of the brick wall not being wide enough, and water was running in between the outside and inside wall of the conservatory. Then it was discovered that there was no damp proofin? between the inner and outer wall. This was remedied. Water still coming in. Then thought it was coming from the door, which has already been replaced as the locking mechanisms were all faulty. Door was resealed. Steps from the back door of conservatory have also been replaced as they were unstable and cracking. We have also now found out that the steps dont meet building regs? something about height of step. So they have been redone again. They have now recommended rather than having bare brick wall, we have it plastered. I think this is just to cover anymore water damage that may occur so we wont realise water is coming in.
So they have plaster boarded over main wall, and then discovered that once they apply the plaster, the wall will stick out over the door frame, if you see what i mean. So they have delayed plastering until they think of how to plaster it, without overhanging door frame. That was 3 weeks ago, and they still "dont know what to do" .They also need to replace all skirting and window sills due to plastering.

The conservatory has been paid in full BTW. The UVPC was never paid, as they forgot, then ordered wrong stuff. So my parents cancelled that part of the order, which they accepted. They have since, in the last 4 months received a letter from a debt collection agency for the money for this work which was never done. The conservatory company refused to beleive they hadnt done it, and my mum came home to one of their builders in our back garden with a camera taking pictures to see if it had been done!

As a customer how would you deal with this now. My parents have had so many days off work over the years, waiting in for various repair men. Some would show, some wouldnt.

Thanks in advance for any input, i know i have not explained it well.

iamcornholio

Your parents need to dispute the invoice and not acknowledge the debt. They need to detail what is wrong, what needs to be done, and then either agree to pay, or dispute that anything is owed. If need be, state their own losses and demand compensation.

Then if things are not sorted, either prgress a claim for compensation or appoint someone else to correct the faulty work and then make the claim.

Don't be bullied by any debt collector, and advise that you are happy to let the claim go to Court if need be (it will be small claims and nothing stressfull)

You may want to get the local Trading Standards/Comsumer Protection team at the Council involved

Write a strongly worded letter to the company about the builder tresspassing and unlawfullly entering your property.

TBH, if these clowns can't even think of how to sort out the plaster/door frame issue, then there really is no hope for them

An option is to have the work inspected by a suitable independant surveyor, and use the report as a basis for a counter-claim

PROFESSIONAL_LANDLORD

"So they have plaster boarded over main wall, and then discovered that once they apply the plaster, the wall will stick out over the door frame, if you see what i mean"



Yes a bodge! your parents have been far too patient. They need a couple of expert reports immediately.

ormus

name the company please. peeps need to be warned of shy te national companies.

laalaa

Thanks for the advice guys.

With regards to having the conservatory independently assessed, this is what I was thinking of. But not sure how u go about appointing a builder/inspector to do this, or the initial cost implications.

My parents have been far far too patient with them, they are far too trusting.

Personally i think their suggestion of having the brick wall plastered over, is so that my parents wont notice any further water seeping in. Maybe i'm just being a bit paranoid though.

I have offered to write them a letter to the company, stating the problems over the past 6 yrs, the outstanding issues, and giving them a deadline to complete the work otherwise they will appoint another company to rectify the mess, and they should expect the bill.

sashman

frankly I would want an independent surveyor round to check the work. Conservatories generally need a lead flashing but few companies ever fit them.

see if they are GGF members as they have a fantastic book (£25) "surveyors guide for conservatories" it get used in court cases to say whats good and bad practise www.ggf.org.uk

Pity so much has been paid but legally you have 6 years from practical completion. They will argue thhat p/c was when the bulk of the money was paid over.

As always act quickly but do take some action

pm me if you need more info
sashman