How long to wait for work to start

tambelina

Hello. We've been waiting to have our garage roof replaced since the beginning of November. The roofer keeps fobbing us off with the weather or saying he'll get in touch and doesn't. He ignores our calls but has picked up straight away when we've used a different number.
He's had part of the payment upfront (it was part of an agreement with the vendors when we bought the property - they paid a percentage of it).
Don't know what to do. It's causing a lot of upset at home. Meanwhile we have a garage full of stuff getting ruined and water running into the walls...
Can anyone offer any advice please??
Thank you in advance.

Doozergirl

We developed a leak on a very small patch of flat roofing above our bay window about three weeks ago. Not a big job, so possibly not the sort of thing that even our regular roofer might want to do. But he came out and looked, quite promptly.

We went away for a week and my H called the roofer today to see when he'd be in. Turns out he came and did it last week while we were away!

The problem you have is that the roofer has already been paid his profit, so his incentive for coming is really low.

Great that the vendors trusted him more than they trusted you.

Time for a strongly worded letter!

Procrastinator333

I dont get why you would let the seller part pay the roofer. Why not just have had that amount off the price.

Where do you stand on this legally? I mean you didnt pay it. I doubt you can demand the money back. Taking him to court would not be fun.

How much are you talking? I would suggest start getting other quotes. They cost you nothing and can be done at the same time as you are chasing him. When you have alternate prices you can see the difference in cost and then make a call on if you keep trying/waoting. But my guess is he is never going to do the work or give you the money.

tambelina

Thank you for the responses so far, really helpful. It's nearly £500. The vendors paid this to avoid us having to re-apply for the mortgage. When we had the survey done there were 2 significant probelms, the drainage and garage roof. They paid for the former and it was done before we moved in. The latter, he said we were next on his list in November. We've had appalling weather which is understandable and he said he needs 2 days of clear weather to do it (fibreglass roof and replacing rotten timbers).
Can't really afford to lose the money as everything needs doing in the house...

Doozergirl

If we'd not had two clear days in the last six months, the bloke would be on benefits by now.

Yes, roofing is weather dependent, but roofers need to eat. And we have the internet for rain forecasts.

phil24_7

So the vendors paid £500 to the roofer to cover the drainage and this has been fixed?

Surely this means the rest of the roof is your responsibility and you can choose who you want?

tambelina

No, a separate company fixed the drains. The roofer hasn't done anything, just received £500.

Ant555

He's had part of the payment upfront (

The roofer hasn't done anything, just received £500.

Is that £500 part-payment for the job or full payment for the job? -
If its part-payment then how much are you expecting to pay?

If you are still to pay something to absent-roofer-man then I wonder if a quote from different-reliable-but-cheap-roofer-man might be close to that figure anyway?

phil24_7

So. The previous owner paid for guttering to be done and paid a deposit of £500 for (unknown) roofing repairs? What was the total cost of the repairs quoted at? Do you have a contract or any kind of evidence of the payment?

Did the previous owner instruct the roofer and was it a friend of theirs?

Regards

cyclonebri1

tambelina wrote: »

Hello. We've been waiting to have our garage roof replaced since the beginning of November. The roofer keeps fobbing us off with the weather or saying he'll get in touch and doesn't. He ignores our calls but has picked up straight away when we've used a different number.
He's had part of the payment upfront (it was part of an agreement with the vendors when we bought the property - they paid a percentage of it).
Don't know what to do. It's causing a lot of upset at home. Meanwhile we have a garage full of stuff getting ruined and water running into the walls...
Can anyone offer any advice please??
Thank you in advance.

If I see 1 more post as in: "I paid him megabucks and he has desolved then I'll do the same


Errrr, you have given him money for nothing???

He ignores your calls unless he things you are someone else?@???


There have been dry days, get serious with him.

tambelina

We picked and instructed the roofer. The vendor provided part payment to him and we have a copy of the receipt. We are expecting to pay a further £1220 upon completion.
Cyclonebri1 - he hasn't dissolved. He has a very business and posts photos of other jobs he's doing on facebook on an almost daily basis.