Dodgy builder

splatvw

Hello,


Sorry if this is the wrong place to put this, I'm fairly new to the site.


We recently bought a house and before moving in wanted to get some work done. The biggest (messiest) was removal of a wall between the lounge and dinning room. This required an RSJ and we asked that building regs be included in the work, the 'lite version'- where you don't need to submit plans just an application and a site visit. The builder said that was fine. We settled on a price and they started work the following day.


My partner took photos of the work as it was being done.


We also had some electrics done. We got a certificate for these.


We were awaiting the building regs notice and it never came (4 weeks ago now). I rang the builder who was really evasive so I rang building control. The builder had never submitted the application. This is hardly surprising as he's done a really sh!te job. They've agreed we can submit an application now with the photos and hopefully they'll be ok.


We have an email from his business partner with a quote for the electrical work but nothing else in writing from the builder we met with, though I have been to his house, though this is rented.


My question is - is there anything we can do?


My concerns are that the job was not only done badly but also shoddily and it's actually dangerous.


There isn't an online presence so I can't leave bad reviews or anything.


And in retrospect we should have waited for the approval before paying him.

G_M

Ah! That last sentence says it all!

I thought by now everyone had seen 'Cowboy Builders' on TV and learned the lesson.

Possession (of the money) is 9/10ths of the law.

You have 2 options (not mutually exclusive):
* negotiate and agree what the builder still needs to do and/or refund you for the expense of getting Building control in yourself
and/or
* sue for the above via Small Claims Court

In either case, the key will be the contract you signed with the builder, and what exactly it says the builder agreed to do.

splatvw

G_M wrote: »

Ah! That last sentence says it all!

I thought by now everyone had seen 'Cowboy Builders' on TV and learned the lesson.

Possession (of the money) is 9/10ths of the law.

You have 2 options (not mutually exclusive):
* negotiate and agree what the builder still needs to do and/or refund you for the expense of getting Building control in yourself
and/or
* sue for the above via Small Claims Court

In either case, the key will be the contract you signed with the builder, and what exactly it says the builder agreed to do.

And if the contract was verbal?

phill99

It beggars belief that in the 21st century we, via the internet, tv etc etc, can access advice and expert knowledge at the drop of a hat. Yet people still fail to undertake basic measures to protect themselves.

Do you have a written specification? Contract? Exchange of letters? No. Did you hold some money back on retention for snaghing items? No.

This is all very basic stuff, readily available, yet people choose to ignore sound advice it. I'm sorry, but some people ask to be mugged off.

TBagpuss

It may be wirth writing to the builder now (keep a copy, of course) set out what was agreed and what you have now discovered, including your concerns about the quality and finish.

The builder may ignore it, which ,but equally he may respond and in doing so, may either say things which might be useful if you sue him (e.g. if he makes excuses for not having got the buildings reg certificate but doesn't deny it was part of the deal) if he denies everything, then you have got a preview of what he will say if you take him to court and can then make a decision as to whether to do so.

wonder74

We're currently going through the process of trying to recoup our money lost on a dodgy builder and I keep reading stories like yours @splatwv.
From talking to a lot of friends and neighbours we all keep coming to the same conclusion- that in the UK we're stuck with a market of dodgy builders. They're inescapable! Very few people could recommend a builder who didn't either do bad work, delay the project, leave unfinished work... Or those who could then got told it was a bad recommendation after they did another job!
We and our friends have lived in other countries and it's not like this- there are associations builders MUST belong to and if they do bad work they lose their accreditation and can't get more work. Why is it not like this in the UK?

G_M

splatvw wrote: »

And if the contract was verbal?

Hmmm.. Well I thought the last sentence said it all, but I was wong!

Not only should you never pay till the job (and paperwork!) is complete, but you should never start till you have a written contract specifying fully what is to be done!

I thought by now everyone had seen 'Cowboy Builders' on TV and learned that lesson too.....