Dodgy builder

Chari_2

If this is on the wrong board - please move it to somewhere you feel is better suited and apologies in advance !

We are currently in dispute with our builder. He has carried out several jobs in our house and we thought we had a builder we could trust as he was always punctual and the work seemed fine - we had a good friendly relationship and felt we could trust him. We have always been very pleasant, never complained and always paid him as soon as any monies were due. However..... last September he did a garage conversion for us. A very large heavy radiator was put in which is now starting to lean off the wall (it looks as though it's just been attached to the plasterboard which is obviously not strong enough to hold the radiator.)

As the work was still under guarantee we (innocently) thought we would just call and tell him and he would come and fix it (!?) Not so - he laughed at my OH and said that basically there is no way it would just fall off on it's own and that someone must have been sitting on it !? OH told him that it was an occasional guest room and he should know by now that we're not the kind of family that swings off the furniture ! He did come up a few days after when my OH was out and started the whole thing over again about "someone must have sat on it - someone must have been trying to pull it off the wall etc." I was absolutely gobsmacked and repeated over and over that this was not the case. He was extremely rude and by this point I was shaking. The next thing I know - he's stormed out and left in his van !

OH phoned - the builder told him he was sick of our attitude etc and to F*** off ! The phone went dead.

All this is bad enough but we have now found out the following :-

When we looked up his website we found 2 photos of our conservatory on there. This was built while he was working for another Company - not his own but it is being claimed as his. While he did fit the glass and the leading etc - the foundations and construction work were done by other people. We don't know who/when these photos were taken and have not given our permission to use these photos and he is blatantly using them to advertise his Company.

Then - on his paperwork he claims to be a member of the Fed of Masters builders. When I checked their website - he is not included as a member.

We sent him an email with a deadline of Monday to get back to us but I doubt he will. Oh ! - and he also said he was going to send us a bill for coming out to inspect the radiator ....I know where that bill will end up !

Any thoughts on "what to do next" would be greatly appreciated !!!

chipmunk

Chari wrote:

If this is on the wrong board - please move it to somewhere you feel is better suited and apologies in advance !

We are currently in dispute with our builder. He has carried out several jobs in our house and we thought we had a builder we could trust as he was always punctual and the work seemed fine - we had a good friendly relationship and felt we could trust him. We have always been very pleasant, never complained and always paid him as soon as any monies were due. However..... last September he did a garage conversion for us. A very large heavy radiator was put in which is now starting to lean off the wall (it looks as though it's just been attached to the plasterboard which is obviously not strong enough to hold the radiator.)

As the work was still under guarantee we (innocently) thought we would just call and tell him and he would come and fix it (!?) Not so - he laughed at my OH and said that basically there is no way it would just fall off on it's own and that someone must have been sitting on it !? OH told him that it was an occasional guest room and he should know by now that we're not the kind of family that swings off the furniture ! He did come up a few days after when my OH was out and started the whole thing over again about "someone must have sat on it - someone must have been trying to pull it off the wall etc." I was absolutely gobsmacked and repeated over and over that this was not the case. He was extremely rude and by this point I was shaking. The next thing I know - he's stormed out and left in his van !

OH phoned - the builder told him he was sick of our attitude etc and to F*** off ! The phone went dead.

All this is bad enough but we have now found out the following :-

When we looked up his website we found 2 photos of our conservatory on there. This was built while he was working for another Company - not his own but it is being claimed as his. While he did fit the glass and the leading etc - the foundations and construction work were done by other people. We don't know who/when these photos were taken and have not given our permission to use these photos and he is blatantly using them to advertise his Company.

Then - on his paperwork he claims to be a member of the Fed of Masters builders. When I checked their website - he is not included as a member.

We sent him an email with a deadline of Monday to get back to us but I doubt he will. Oh ! - and he also said he was going to send us a bill for coming out to inspect the radiator ....I know where that bill will end up !

Any thoughts on "what to do next" would be greatly appreciated !!!

If I were you, I would contact him and again, repeat your request that he comes out to fix your radiator otherwise, as you understand from his website he is a member of the FMB, you will have no alternative but to report the matter to them and instigate their Dispute Resolution Procedure. This might have a positive effect because I am sure he will be aware that it is a criminal offence to pass yourself off as a member of this body if you are not.

If that doesn't work (report him to them anyway), I would say you are taking him to court for unauthorised use of photos of your house on the internet. You could say something about copyright laws (not sure if this applies, but you could call his bluff.

Having said all that, do you really want this man back in your house? He sounds like a right nasty piece of work to me. You might just want to cut your losses, employ someone else to fix the radiator and then tell anyone you know who is thinking of employing a builder to give him a wide berth. Good builders are found by word of mouth but it can work the other way round too.

Anthillmob

trading standards will be interested im sure.

RedOnRed

I've had loads of work done on my house and am sorry to admit and say most of it's been substandard and over priced and when you have a problem they either have poor communication skills or blatantly avoid you.

Would you believe that last year I was quoted a grand a day labour by one plumber!?

Enough's enough. I'm going to have aboslutely no hesitation trying Polish builders next time. As far as i'm concerned that's a sad reflection of an unregulated industry that's brought it on itself. It's about time they were all licenced.

coolsteel

Had a problem with a bathroom myself recently, first of all contact trading standards, contacting the builder by e-mail is a no no, all corespondants are by royal mail recorded delivery signed for. Basically i gave the plumber 7 working days to reply to my letter or i will be forced to get the work rectified by another plumber. Luckily i had not paid him got the work done and knocked the bill off his bill. You need to speak to your local trading standards first, they will give good legal advice.
Coolsteel:cool: