Patio problems

DaftyDuck

I disagree with cyclone.

This..

yinhong wrote: »

but then he said "I'm this close to punching you in the face,"

removes any right he may have had to reenter your property.

I would speak with your local PCSO about it... he may have a habit of behaving like this.

I agree with written communication, but I would point out that, since a threat of violence was made, he should suggest a resolution, and see how it goes.

shegar

I honestly dont think you will hear another word from him, if he do contact you again dont speak to me but only to tell him just your solicitors name and address , that will put the sh*ts up him........

DaftyDuck

shegar wrote: »

I honestly dont think you will hear another word from him, if he do contact you again dont speak to me but only to tell him just your solicitors name and address , that will put the sh*ts up him........

I'm not so sure... I think the OP might get a letter stating that the work has all been done, and that full payment must be made immediately, else a solicitor will be involved, and interest charged, and legal bills will be owed and.. There may even be a letter from a solicitor.... a really bad builder (who makes verbal threats) may be in regular contact with a solicitor for.. um.. various reasons. Frankly, I'd be prepared for it, so I wasn't over worried when it does happen.

Given the state of the patio, and the pretty near universal view on this thread that it's poor, I doubt you'd lose in court on the grounds the job was properly completed.

You have offered him a chance to put the work right - twice in fact. One verbal, where he said he'd set his solicitor on you, one written, which he ripped up (do keep it).

I'd certainly approach the local CAB for advice - there's some online click here and I'd go along for a visit. There's often a solicitor available for some brief advice.

I would suspect that they'd advise writing, and either asking what he proposed, or offering a nominal sum for the work he did actually do.

I was threatened by a builder a few years back. Luckily, I'd spoken to the local PCSO only an hour before, as she (at 5 foot nothing) started to arrest my team of five huge, very sweet and very honest electricians for breaking & entering, as the property was, she thought, unoccupied Those five were present - but "hiding" in an attic running cabling - when a builder started to demand final payment well in advance of completion, then got threatening. They called the PCSO back, and the builder then started shouting at her as well. Unwise. He still wrote endless demanding, then pleading, letters for work he did not complete.

The PCSO, and my friendly solicitor were very clear that the threats he had made supplanted any right he may have had to complete and rectify the work. Mind you, I had some large independent witnesses, and a pocket-sized PCSO, on my side. I don't suppose, by any chance, there were witnesses on your side?

So, take lots more photos, from every conceivable angle (upstairs? flat with ground, showing level with DPC). Contact CAB. Consider writing to him.

Did he supply the slabs, or did you pay for them separately?

smashingyour...

DaftyDuck wrote: »

I'm not so sure... I think the OP might get a letter stating that the work has all been done, and that full payment must be made immediately, else a solicitor will be involved, and interest charged, and legal bills will be owed and.. There may even be a letter from a solicitor.... a really bad builder (who makes verbal threats) may be in regular contact with a solicitor for.. um.. various reasons. Frankly, I'd be prepared for it, so I wasn't over worried when it does happen.

Given the state of the patio, and the pretty near universal view on this thread that it's poor, I doubt you'd lose in court on the grounds the job was properly completed.

You have offered him a chance to put the work right - twice in fact. One verbal, where he said he'd set his solicitor on you, one written, which he ripped up (do keep it).

I'd certainly approach the local CAB for advice - there's some and I'd go along for a visit. There's often a solicitor available for some brief advice.

I would suspect that they'd advise writing, and either asking what he proposed, or offering a nominal sum for the work he did actually do.

I was threatened by a builder a few years back. Luckily, I'd spoken to the local PCSO only an hour before, as she (at 5 foot nothing) started to arrest my team of five huge, very sweet and very honest electricians for breaking & entering, as the property was, she thought, unoccupied Those five were present - but "hiding" in an attic running cabling - when a builder started to demand final payment well in advance of completion, then got threatening. They called the PCSO back, and the builder then started shouting at her as well. Unwise. He still wrote endless demanding, then pleading, letters for work he did not complete.

The PCSO, and my friendly solicitor were very clear that the threats he had made supplanted any right he may have had to complete and rectify the work. Mind you, I had some large independent witnesses, and a pocket-sized PCSO, on my side. I don't suppose, by any chance, there were witnesses on your side?

So, take lots more photos, from every conceivable angle (upstairs? flat with ground, showing level with DPC). Contact CAB. Consider writing to him.

Did he supply the slabs, or did you pay for them separately?

PCSO's don't have a power of arrest.

andyhop

Shocking. The slabs should have been laid in a opus pattern and not just butted up to each other like they have

DaftyDuck

smashingyour... wrote: »

PCSO's don't have a power of arrest.

No, they have to call up a "real" PC for that. They do have the right to demand you sit tight until one arrives.

For the OP, a local PCSO may well have helpful advice, should write up what she's been told (which could be useful later although, again, I think their notes have some different "weight" to a real PC's), and might be aware of other activities in the neighbourhood by this bloke. They are often more approachable than a "real" plod, who is often too busy and too important to bother with such matters.

sillygoose

At least he can't hit you with his level, its clear he doesn't own one!

DaftyDuck

sillygoose wrote: »

At least he can't hit you with his level, its clear he doesn't own one!

He bent it, bashing the last customer to death... and then buried him under that hump in the middle...

sillygoose

DaftyDuck wrote: »

He bent it, bashing the last customer to death... and then buried him under that hump in the middle...

Ah! and I was thinking that was there because he couldn't be bothered to get the cloth dryer tube out the ground! :eek:

phoebe1989seb

God, that does look terrible We've been re-landscaping our terrace with a mix of paving, gravel and raised veg beds and decided to DIY as DH works from home, although with hindsight maybe we'd have been better off not doing this as the job has been ongoing since Feb - it's a huge space though

Anyway, the company we bought our stone from has online guides to the different design patterns with PDFs to show how to lay them. We've done ours in a large opus pattern - *magnus opus* I think - and it looks like yours should be something similar.....you'd expect a *professional* trades person to know something like that or if not, he could at least have searched online for a guide

As for his threats.......I would definitely mention it to the police, but don't believe he'd sue for one minute personally.