Anyone used builder Colin Smith via Betternest?

Compass1

When I google "Colin Smith" and "Betternest", I found a comment from this forum but the original message was deleted, {text removed by MSE Forum Team}. Can the commenter please contact me and let me know his/her experience?

Reviews on good experiences are welcome too.

Thanks

ferry.boy

Through a company called Betternest Mr Smith and his team were due to complete a 14 week contract to extend our kitchen and build a 4th bedroom. As we were living overseas we were depending on Betternest to manage this work. In May when we returned we were expecting to move in immediatly but to our horror our house was a shell and nowhere near completed. This was a start of a nightmare which is still going on. We have 2 children under 4 (one was 1 yr) and we were forced to sleep on floorboards for 2 months whilst the work was completed. His men were of a good standard but didn't turn up when promised and it turned out that Mr Smith had major financial problems and had spent all our money. In July a new contract was drawn up and we were promised that the work would be completed in 3 weeks yet it is now November and still not completed. We were forced to borrow 10 thousand pounds and get the rest of the work completed which is supposedly being repaid by 31 December but I have no hope in seeing it again. Throughout contracts have been broken, false promises and work has been below standard a few times.He is also very rude. Completely unreliable after paying so much money and I recommend not touching him with a bargepole.

WeeJimmy

Ferryboy1, i am with you. {text removed by MSE Forum Team}Can yoy PM me. i would like to get in touch.

WeeJimmy

Ferryboy1, i have just PM you my contact.

Hoof_Hearted

Why don't you all show up at the event and ask him in person? You will at least have the satisfaction of causing major embarrassment.

marywooyeah

Hoof_Hearted wrote: »

Why don't you all show up at the event and ask him in person? You will at least have the satisfaction of causing major embarrassment.

Seconded! Especially at a big event like that its likely to be full of people in the same business and could be recorded too!

Noswad

I am a Colin Smith / Betternest victim too. I emailed [EMAIL="clare.palmer@centaur.co.uk"]clare.palmer@centaur.co.uk[/EMAIL] ( contact for the exhibition) on 26th June and said the following. Clare did not have the decency to acknowledge my email.
Hello Clare

I am surprised to see that you have Simon Smith presenting at The National Home Improvement Show in September. I think you need to be aware that Simon Smith - Betternest. and his father, Colin Smith have a number of disgruntled customers with incomplete/inferior work and having large sums of money owed to them from Betternest or Colin Smith. I have recently been contacted by a National Television programme who are currently researching both Simon Smith and his father with a view to national television exposure.

I can not see it as good publicity for you, as organisers, in promoting the work of a person who has stolen money from his customers. I understand that Betternest went into recievership and re launched as Better Casa Ltd on the same day to avoid paying people what they owe. I shall most certainly be exposing this sham should Simon appear at the show.

Best wishes

keyser666

Noswad wrote: »

I am a Colin Smith / Betternest victim too. I emailed [EMAIL="clare.palmer@centaur.co.uk"]clare.palmer@centaur.co.uk[/EMAIL] ( contact for the exhibition) on 26th June and said the following. Clare did not have the decency to acknowledge my email.
Hello Clare

I am surprised to see that you have Simon Smith presenting at The National Home Improvement Show in September. I think you need to be aware that Simon Smith - Betternest. and his father, Colin Smith have a number of disgruntled customers with incomplete/inferior work and having large sums of money owed to them from Betternest or Colin Smith. I have recently been contacted by a National Television programme who are currently researching both Simon Smith and his father with a view to national television exposure.

I can not see it as good publicity for you, as organisers, in promoting the work of a person who has stolen money from his customers. I understand that Betternest went into recievership and re launched as Better Casa Ltd on the same day to avoid paying people what they owe. I shall most certainly be exposing this sham should Simon appear at the show.

Best wishes

Why would you do that? Why not embarasss him in front of his peers and colleagues alike? Would be more fulfilling and have more of an adverse effect. Now the show will just get a replacement in and nothing will change

peter_the_piper

Not everyone has the front to stand up and berate him so a lesser embarrassment is better than nothing.

fluffnutter

Cool advertising, newbies :cool:

Stumpy3

Hi

How much did they charge for their design service??