Howden's family and friends scam

IKS

Hi All

It would be great if you could give me some advice on what to do with the below situatIon.

Recently I needed some work done for my kitchen so went and posted the job on a recognised building trade website. Within a few days was contacted by a building company whom wanted to give me a quote. The builders arrived with his brother wearing a Howden's logo uniform and stated that one of them will supply the design and quote for kitchen and his brother will build.

I then exchanged a number of emails and had telephone conversations directly with the brother whom works in Howden's. Once the contract was agreed and signed they started work and more than half of the money was transferred into the builders account as Howden's only trade directly with builders and the kitchen needed paying for.

They started the job and the kitchen was delivered but they left the job unfinished without saying a word. They left the kitchen with no plumbing, incomplete electrics, a hanging live wire, no tiling or paint and a number of other jobs unfinished.

The jobs that they have completed are plastering, removing old kitchen units and small amount of old back splash tiles about two square meters and some of the units have been assembled but not fit.

Our kitchen is 5 square meters they have so far taken £4500.

Tried calling the builder a number of times no answer and have called Howden's and they are taking no liability as the brother states he has nothing to do with it, even though they were clearly promoting each other's services.

Any advice would be appreciated.

DRP

Well the obvious information required for sensible advice would be:
Have you tried contacting them?
What did they say?
How long has it been since they left?
Have you contacted the Howden's branch where the brother works?
What did they agree to do in the contract?
IS there anything else to this story that you haven't included? (disputes about anything?) as it sounds a bit peculiar.
etc

more details

Doozergirl

What was the price of the project?

You need to write to the builder, formally, goving him 14 days to complete the project. After that time, tell him that you will find someone else to finish the job and be seeking recompense for any additional costs you incur.

Did you check any references? Contact previous customers?

Does the brother actually work for Howdens? You have no contract with them.

When you say 5 square metres, do you mean something like 2.5x2m or actually 5x5m?

rosie383

I may have misunderstood, but from the OP's post it reads as if the brother who works for Howden's was doing this on his own time, and not as an employee of Howden's. So they wouldn't have any responsibility whatsoever.

OP, I think the title of the thread is misleading and unfair to Howden's.

Doozergirl

rosie383 wrote: »

OP, I think the title of the thread is misleading and unfair to Howden's.

I agree. 10 characters.

IKS

2.5x2 size of the kitchen. no didn't take reference as trusted the howdens employee. He initially did most of the liasing via howdens email address and visit.

The title is reflective of how I felt about the situation and also they we wearing howdens uniform the entire time. It's either Howdens brand being taken advantage of or they need better checks on what traders they associate themselves with.

Have spoken to the brother at howdens and states that his responsibility was to supply kitchen, what his brother does has nothing to do with him.

Thanks for the advice.

Annie1960

Ring Citizens' Advice consumer line.

Did they give you a cooling off notice? If not, they've committed a criminal offence and you don't have to pay them anything.

If you are writing them a letter, put 'Letter before action' on it, and Citizens's Advice will talk you through the rest of the content.

IKS

Thank you for the advise will call them. Cooling off notice? I haven't been given this. I paid the builder £4500 to complete the works in the kitchen and install howden's kitchen but he left with the job less than half done.

Tried calling the builder back a number of times he is not answering his phone. They left yesterday am and haven't returned.

EssexExile

IKS wrote: »

They left yesterday am and haven't returned.

Are you saying it's been less than 24 hours?

IKS

Yes less than 24 hrs, left without saying anything removed their tools and equipment and removed the contract that we originally signed from our living room whilst I was in the bathroom.

Doozergirl

But it's Saturday?

Is there something you're not telling us?

I wouldn't assume that a builder had done a runner because he left early on a Friday and didn't come back on Saturday! That's pretty par for the course.

But you've paid him the full value of the work before it was done?