Cowboy builder has ripped me off -what can I do?

Jo12

I had some work done last week and it has left me with a load of problems and is shoddy. I did manage to get him back once to sort some of it out, but there are still problems outstanding.

I emailed the carpenter with my issues and asked for a refund. He wrote back answering my queries with a very warped version of events and said he would give me a refund, but then has invented a load of 'extra' charges that cancel out the amount and said that will be his last word on the matter.

Ive had no quote (as he did one, but I ended up having less work done in the end so its not valid), no receipt for work done and I paid cash. I wish I had paid by cheque as I would have stopped it in the circumstances. Probably very stupid and naïve on my account.

I found him through my builder.com so have thought about contacting them as well as trading standards. Is it worth me going back to him to dispute the additional charges? Is there anything I can do?

Feel like an idiot now!!!! Any advice would be very much appreciated.

docmatt

Always go on recommendation and always get a written quote, nothing verbal.

How much was the project?

Jo12

luckily, it was only £200, but that's a lot of money for me and I asked for £80 back and have got to replace stuff and also get someone in to do it again, so it will cost me another £200 at least

al69

They were legally bound to give you the right to cancel in writing.If they didnt trading standards will be interested.

https://www.gov.uk/doorstep-selling-regulations

Ionkontrol

Put it down to experience. You will not get anywhere chasing this chump.
Only employ people recommended to you by friends etc.

Leif

Why not pass on his details to HM Revenue, indicating that you believe he does not pay tax. It will get you nothing apart from schadenfreude. And if you can post a bad review on builder.com.

southcoastrgi

it would be easier if you posted up what was suppost to be done, what was missing & what you aren't happy about

Jo12

Thanks everyone for the advice so far.
The big question is - should I try again and get the refund?
Briefly, the work was to fit a couple of kitchen units (I built them) and worktop and an inset sink, drainpipe etc
I asked for a hole in the bottom of the unit (to access the mains) which he did not do -he said it sits under the units so can pull off the plinth if I need to get to it. You can, but its not easy and in an emergency, I would rather have decent access to it. Where he fitted the plinth, there is a gap -if he had done the hole as requested, I could get a bit of skirting and sort the gap, but cant do as I need access to the mains, so will have to do the hole myself.
My biggest gripe is with the sink and worktop fitting. When he came round to begin with, I knew that the drainpipe would probably need re-siting and we talked about that and all seemed fine. What they did was fit into the existing drainpipe, so the drainage water was effectively running uphill and the trap couldn't fit properly so it leaked. The suggestions he came up with were laughable. He wanted to remove a brick from the outside wall and fill with plaster (eek!) and then said about putting a bit of wood over it. I said no to all of this and said he had to find a different solution. He changed the trap for an s bend in the end after a lot more ridiculous suggestions on his behalf. There was no planning, no thought and at that point, I was really getting nervous about it all.
The worktop is badly scratched. Its gloss laminate and I know it scratches easily, but he made no effort to cover it while working so it is damaged. There were tools and other bits all over it. Its also damaged as he used a cutter on the edge of it (when trimming the edge strip). After trying to convince me the mark was already there, he admitted it was his fault, so that was what I wanted the refund for. He also had to cut a couple of notches for some pipes going through it - he made a mess of it and Ive had to fill with mastic, so it does not look good.
Ive fitted the rest myself and tiled it and have not scratched the other two.
The whole thing was slapdash, there was no planning, no thought, the house was a mess and I did feel uncomfortable about it all while they were there but at that point, just wanted it finished and them gone. There's other stuff too, that's just the main points. So I emailed and listed my issues and asked for a refund.
He emailed me a letter answering my issues (as mentioned in the first post)To my surprise, he said he would refund me the worktop, he then made up some additional charges for petrol and recycling the old unit which miraculously comes to £80 so he says he owes me nothing and that was his last word and he would not come back to the house (there are a couple of very small things he agreed to come back and do as the job wasn't finished). At no point did he say there would be additional charges and hes only done that because I asked for the money back.
Im so cross (mainly with myself) but also with him. Ive done the rest myself but this was beyond my capabilities, so wanted a professional job, which is the exact opposite of what I did get.
I will have to get a new bit of worktop and get then get someone else in to fit it, so either way its going to cost me that all over again. I saved for a long time for all this. Probably peanuts to him, but a lot of money to me and why should I have to pay twice for his incompetence?
Ive never had this sort of experience before and its not one I want to repeat!!
I just want it put right and forget about it. At the same time, I would hate to think he is doing this to other people -these guys seem to get away with behaving the way they do and that's not right.

evoke

Can you not give him negative feedback on MyBuilder? That's what the site is for! Negative feedback will at least ensure that potential future customers are put off this tradesman.

And as others have said, always get a quote in writing and make sure you have a proper verified address and landline number for the tradesman before you engage him/her for building works. Some due diligence in checking if he has a registered company number, a decent website, is listed in places like Yell, etc., will reduce the risk of a bad outcome.

mehera

Mybuilder is useless I think the OP has just discovered that!

Did you say this guy was a carpenter?

WHat the hell was he doing messing with the plumbing then?

Often people want the simplest job and particularly want one person to come in and do all aspects of the job for them . . .

In the real world however you really do not get a good quality job this way!

I have seen kitchens that have been fitted perfectly only to fins out that the plumbing/gas/electrics have been horribly bodged!!!

There is a double edged sword here -

CHEAP - QUICK - GOOD

You can only get two of these at once

You will have to trade off and the cheapest quote may often be from your local Cowboy who has to attract customers somehow . . ..

andyhop

Sorry but you have had a cheap job for a reason. £200 is way too cheap for what you have he done. Approx £60 in materials and I would allow 2 full days circa £500 quote

Avoid my builder too, can claim to be anything on there