Loft conversion nightmare - advice please!

Windsorcastle

The day after I last posted here, the MD of the company 'Bertie BS' phoned my partner with a load of old **** apologising and promising everything would get sorted. He said he would have some guys free in 2 weeks to do the outstanding work.

Needless to say, after waiting patiently for 2 weeks, she phoned him today and...the phone number is no longer working!

I went bananas and said I'm going round to his home address to speak to him. She is furious and insists I don't do that.

Worse still, she only told me recently that they had never given us the signed off paperwork after the loft conversion, so we have no papers when we come to sell, and don't even know if it's all been properly reported to the Council. I said I was going to ring Buildings Control and ask them but she thinks this will only get us in trouble if they weren't informed at the time.

So basically, there is no way these ****s are going to do what they have promised. Partner and I just row about it all the time, as I think it's her fault for not keeping closer tabs on them at the time (she paid for and oversaw the whole thing, and I wasn't directly involved). It's a total mess and we feel depressed every day sleeping in a bedroom with no lights, and stepping into a bathroom with a shower cubicle we haven't used for 6 months.

We are so stressed, and feel so helpless, not knowing where to turn. I will NEVER trust another builder again ever, and never want to get any more work done.

Can anyone suggest a course of action please?? :mad:

TBeckett100

I suspect he used your money to pay the last job and at some point the jobs stop coming and someone is left holding the baby.

Have you got his home address? The only real option is court but if there is no money then he could realistically liquidate the company and Phoenix it

cwcw

We've had problems of varying levels just about any time we've had a tradesman in to do anything. I put it down to being too polite and nice, so they see a pushover opportunity to cut corners thinking you'd never kick up a fuss. From what you've posted it sounds like you may be similar. I expect they do a much better job for people of a similar ilk to themselves, but maybe not.

The best result I've had was to lose my temper on the phone. As uncomfortable as it was for me, it got the result within days that months of polite calls, emails and a formal letter could not achieve. However this wasn't for a £60k job...

For what it's worth, if I was in your position I'd send a letter recorded delivery, list the faults and a timescale of when I wanted it fixed by and what I would do if he didn't meet the deadline (eg. getting someone else and pursuing him for the cost, trading standards, etc). I'd seek professional legal advice before sending the letter, given the sums involved. I'm not a solicitor and you need to make sure you get it right and nobody here can really ensure that, so speak to a solicitor.

Out of interest, and off track slightly, but why did you spend so much money on such a development when you were wanting to sell up?

Windsorcastle

TBeckett100 wrote: »

I suspect he used your money to pay the last job and at some point the jobs stop coming and someone is left holding the baby.

Have you got his home address? The only real option is court but if there is no money then he could realistically liquidate the company and Phoenix it

Thanks. I have seen his company director records and he has been involved in several dissolved companies before so I suspect you are spot on.

I have tracked down his home address from the electoral roll, but don't really know what to do if I go round there. Plus he might call the police and say I'm trespassing/intimidating him or something.

Windsorcastle

cwcw wrote: »

We've had problems of varying levels just about any time we've had a tradesman in to do anything. I put it down to being too polite and nice, so they see a pushover opportunity to cut corners thinking you'd never kick up a fuss. From what you've posted it sounds like you may be similar. I expect they do a much better job for people of a similar ilk to themselves, but maybe not.

For what it's worth, if I was in your position I'd send a letter recorded delivery, list the faults and a timescale of when I wanted it fixed by and what I would do if he didn't meet the deadline (eg. getting someone else and pursuing him for the cost, trading standards, etc). I'd seek professional legal advice before sending the letter, given the sums involved. I'm not a solicitor and you need to make sure you get it right and nobody here can really ensure that, so speak to a solicitor.

Out of interest, and off track slightly, but why did you spend so much money on such a development when you were wanting to sell up?

I agree that these con artists take the p when they are dealing with nice polite people but what's the answer to that? In other walks of life being polite and decent to people gets you treated decently in return, but not when dealingbwith tradesmen!

I think that's really good advice about getting a professional letter written. I did sit down to write a letter tonight but it was full of anger and I need it to be more formal and not emotional. I will contact a solicitor tomorrow about this, it will probably give it more clout anyway.

On your last point, we started planning the conversion 3 years ago with no thought of selling. But we have both had job changes since then that would be easier from somewhere with better transport links. So that's why really. We are currently thinking of renting it out rather than selling it just now, but obviously we still need to get this mess put right in order to do that.

Many thanks for your helpful advice.

Windsorcastle

Does anyone know if the Council's Building dept will at least be able to tell me that the conversion was registered with them? Would they be able to supply a copy of the paperwork? Thanks.

Windsorcastle

I bit the bullet and phoned my local Council Building Control just now. I had visions of them sending a bulldozer round to knock the whole loft down!

The man couldn't have been more helpful. He was able to tell me that an 'initial notice' had been served to them at the start of the job to say that an independent company would be carrying out the BC work. That was all OK as apparently the Council can not take any action whilst an 'initial notice' is in place. However they had never had final confirmation of the work being completed.

He was able to give me the name and contact info of the independent company, and my reference number. I rang them and they assured me that a completion certificate was issued to me 2 years ago, but promised they will email it to me again now. (Won't believe it till my eyes actually see it!)

I rang the nice man at BC again, and he said that if I send them a copy once I get it, they will update their records and all the legalities are covered.

I then told him my tale of woe, and he advised me to get a structural surveyor round to assess the problems, and then contact the independent BC people as we may have a case against them for not fulfilling their duties at the time to check the work was completed competently. However he did say it depends on the nature of the work needed and whether they could reasonably have been expected to spot it. In any event he says they will have insurance to cover them for cases like this.

Finally feel like we may be getting somewhere!! However still no word from Bertie BS and Co.

Thanks again to other posters for all the brilliant advice, much appreciated. :T

caz_who_loves_a_bargain

So sorry to hear of the problems you've encountered. I've had similar problems with roofers, who are basically conmen ripping people off, when the law starts to catch up with them,they close down and open up in another name and the process starts again.I reported to Trading Standards.I haven't got my money back or the work done but at least i know i'm not the only one these men ripped off and they are being watched. I haven't suffered anywhere near the problems or financial loss that you have but i can understand the frustration stress and anger that they just seem to be getting away with it, but please please don't let it cause arguments between you and your wife. It's not her fault, it's not your fault, it's their fault. Good luck, I hope you have a good outcome in the end. I find some satisfaction leaving reviews to warn others wherever I can.

jimbog

If it was 'signed off' then hopefully the problems you are experiencing are not 'major' even if they may seem like it!

I'm glad things are looking better for you :T

Windsorcastle

jimbog wrote: »

If it was 'signed off' then hopefully the problems you are experiencing are not 'major' even if they may seem like it!

I'm glad things are looking better for you :T

Thanks for your kind comment, jimbog. :-)


Well, we've received the completion certificate now, and I've passed that to the Council so that's all OK. However, it would seem that the Building Regs inspector didn't do their job properly or we wouldn't be in this mess. No lead flashing was installed on two parts of the new roof, so we had horrendous leaks for months, and as a result of that, water has got into the electrics so we have no lighting in the room at all. Presumably that will all need to be stripped back to resolve what has gone on there. There is horrendous water staining and cracked and peeled paint where water was leaking in.


Installing a roof incorrectly is pretty major, although as I mentioned in earlier posts, they did eventually send people round to basically retile the whole roof about 2/3 months ago, and fingers crossed, this sees to have done the trick.


The beautiful shower cubicle we had installed in the new ensuite has been out of action for 6 months now, as we discovered that it was leaking into an unused bedroom downstairs, so by the time we realised that, there was water damage all down the ceiling and wall of that room.


I don't know how closely Building Regs inspect a build but I would think they should have spotted the roof was not fit for purpose before they signed it off!


The Council did say I might be able to take action against the inspectors if they were negligent.