Cowboy Builders - Website created to name and shame!

nads205

Hi guys,

I have had a bad experience with some builders. An estate agent called Realocate in Norbury, South London offered to complete a refurbishment of my flat in Croydon and then rent it out. They were a recommendation from a family relative - so I went full steam ahead with them.

They were instructed to do a full top to bottom refurb on my flat. Croydon has had a tarnished image of late so I decided to do the flat up really nicely with Villeroy and Boch appliances and a Hacker kitchen ordered from Germany finished off with Porcelonsa tiles.

The chap who runs the agency and manages building work they do came over and quoted a build time of approximately 5 weeks. Work began fairly swiftly but then problems emerged. Numerous leaks onto the flats below, a builder accidentally putting their foot through the ceiling below and numerous other things. After 3 months on site, I was called again by the flat below and the adjoining one reporting yet another leak. I went to site and decided to ask the builders to stop work. I left them for a few hours and returned to find all my appliances and the boiler had been pinched!

Anyway I was so shocked that I wanted to warn others in case they are considering using them. I have created a website with photos and videos of their workmanship and will be adding more photos and stuff to the site over the coming few weeks.

(Text removed by MSE Forum Team)

Gordon_Hose

Be careful that what you report is factual. Can you prove it was them who stole your appliances?

nads205

Thanks Gordon.

Noted.

- (other than me) they were the only ones with key,
- no forced entry
- I got a invoice from them an hour later with "all goods remain property of Realocate until payment received in full".
- their van returned later (and drove off when they saw me).

I think it's safe to assume it was them. I haven't asked around for witnesses but I wouldn't be surprised if someone would have seen them load the appliances into their van.

keyser666

a
Had a look at the website that is poor workmanship, I assume you are attempting to get the money back which i assume will not prove too fruitful

nads205

Money back would be handy - but will no doubt take time.

As long as no one else is caught out I would also feel like I have contributed to society

nads205

I have now created a blog to accompany the website:

Again I can't post links yet so could someone kindly post the link for me:

http://mypropertyexploits.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/buy-to-let-renovations-its-all-gone.html

deanos

good luck, that looks like terrible work, even i could do better and im no professional

nads205

Thanks - I think my grandma could do better than that - and she's not even alive!

Got a new quote to fix all their botch ups - 6.5k not including carpets and replacement tiles.

Thanks Realocate.

bruceelson

I thought it helps to share my bad experience with one cowboy plumber. he trades under Acorn plumbing & heating (1 pine close, DY6 8EY). he said he does bathrooms. we bought expensive tiles and items from bathstore, we trusted him to do good job. after few days found one pipe been leaking messed up whole wall. tiled fallen off and he wont return to fix it. we had to hire another person to rip shower and wall off and redo all again.

If you want good job, try to go with recommendations. cowboys like this one doesn't some to care about his reputation.

Bruce.

nads205

Hi Bruce - thanks for sharing. It certainly helps - if someone does a quick Google search on Acorn plumbing this thread should pop up eventually and warn alert anyone else.

ivavoucher

Thanks OP for letting us know.
One more local idiot added to my list.