What are my rights with poor roofing work? How to get inspector/legal advice?

Christyt

Hi there,

I'm in dispute with an aggressive roofer over some work he did in early December 2011.

He replaced a small flat roof and did some leading work to the adjoining conservatory where it joins the house.

The job was a bit shoddy and cheap all round but the biggest issue is that of having to seal around a downpipe that runs through conservatory.

He initially proposed to box it in and presumably lead over it.

A plumber advised me to keep access to pipes connecting to it so I asked him not to and to find another way to seal it. He said he'd 'do his best' but couldn't guarantee the results.

His 'best' was initially loosely wound flashing tape which had holes and was shambolic (see pics in link).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31267686@N03/6481218447/in/photostream

It was leaking worse than before and I said this wasn't good enough. He said there was nothing else he could do. When pushed he dumped a load of cement around it. It leaks less but still leaks and this doesn't strike me as a good solution.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31267686@N03/6515388059/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31267686@N03/6515387403/in/photostream

I understand my basic consumer rights say I should expect services to be carried out with 'reasonable care and skill'. He's had 2 goes at the job, neither of which worked and look to be displaying reasonable care and skill for a roofer.

For this and other reasons (too long to go into) I've lost confidence in him and would like to get another roofer to propose a viable solution (I understand it could be sealed with felt or lead, even if not boxed in, as a compromise). I would deduct the costs of this work from the chap's bill and pay him the rest. I haven't paid anything so far.

I've taken it up with trading standards and they say the problem is
1) he didn't specify what his alternative solution would be, and
2) I would need an independent expert to give a professional opinion.

I've tried other local roofers but they don't want to put their name to their opinions either cos they know him or because they don't want him to come round and smash up their van, or something!

It's been suggested I should get a building surveyor to give an opinion but I really doubt they'd necessarily know what other solutions might be used. The Building inspector who I asked was clueless.

Do I really need an expert opinion when it says in the consumer rights that 'any reasonable' person would find the work to not have been done with reasonable care and skill. Presumably I could then ask an ordinary person?

If I do need an official inspector, can anyone advise on how to get one. I honestly can't see local tradesman daring to do it, or if they do, they'll underplay the case and take my money!!! just to avoid trouble.

Would be really grateful if anyone could advise.

I live in the Brighton area if that helps.

Many thanks

RooferDave_2

To be fair, any qualified Roofing Contractor that can give a detailed examination of it should help you get somewhere. Sounds obvious but i would speak to CAB.

I work for a Roofing Company selling Firestone EPDM Roofing Supplies, and sadly we get customers all the time being ripped off with shoddy worksman ship.

What exactly has he used on that downpipe? It looks terrible.

roofingwarehouse.co.uk

Valli

I'm gonna be really nice to you newbie and ask you to please remove the link from the post - you're not allowed to post links as a newbie, rooferdave.
Before someone reports your post as spam, that is...