What to do if a tradesman doesn't show up

Doozergirl

It sounds like you probably got the job done at the correct price.

The guy is a bit of an idiot for not just saying outright, but you weren’t exactly reasonable when he told you by still demanding the original price. Contract or no contract, people are human and that guy probably has mouths to feed and customers that pay the right amount.

It sounds like he habitually underestimates his workload. You probably did okay out him before and it’s all done now. Move on. Stewing on it won’t make you feel better. Enjoy the kitchen instead

glasgowdan

You should forget about this and move on. He is not liable for your delay in having your kitchen done. Or you getting someone more expensive to do the work. He just lacks professional skills such as accurate quoting and communication/negotiating.

The word "sue" gets thrown around a lot. I wish people would stop it, it's vulgar.

MB69

Well, I didn't tbh. Here is how the text messages went after 48hrs :

Me: Mate, can you let me know you are ok, as I haven't managed to get hold of you for the past 48hrs and want to make sure you are ok. If you have changed your mind and don't want to do the job, let me know so I can start to look around.

Him: Sorry pal. When we got there, I realised I had under quoted you. So when we left to get the mixer I decided not to come back and just leave it. It was less hassle that way

Me: I am a bit disappointed. You should have said when you were here and we would have sorted it out like other time.

Him: yeah sorry mate. Not very good with talking money with people. I have got a lot more work on now so can't do it anymore.

Me: Well I am quite annoyed to be honest as you should have said it on Saturday when you left instead of leaving it for 48hrs and then coming back to me and saying you don;t want to do the job. I have ripped the kitchen out and I don't have anywhere to cook now, no thanks to you.

Him: hopefully you can get someone else to sort it out.



At no point was I ever rude to him or expected him to do the job cheaply. He had done 2 other rooms for me, and so far I had paid him £1500. Kitchen was a lot smaller than the other rooms, and initially he said £400. I don't know if it was too cheap or too expensive. I can only go by what he told me.

Down side for him, there is still about £2k worth of work that now someone else is going to get.

I had to pay £600 to someone else, as everyone else was fully booked until after the new year and this other chap was the only available one at £300 a day! and it took him 2 days to do it.

TheCyclingProgrammer

I understand why you’re annoyed but seriously, let it go.

Doozergirl

You’re still simmering. I do understand but how long did it take you to write out these messages? I bet none of it was enjoyable, raking the feelings back up again. You could have not thought about it and had a nice evening.

The funny thing about negative feelings is that if you don’t think about the thing that causes you to feel them, you won’t feel them. And you’re not forced to think them because the thing isn’t happening anymore.

If you don’t think the negative thoughts, you don’t feel the negative feelings.

Apply that advice to as many areas as you possibly can and I reckon that lesson is worth way more than £200

Risteard

Warwick_Hunt wrote: »

He does have a contract, however he's lacking evidence of one.

Which would make it unenforceable, as I stated.

Warwick_Hunt

Risteard wrote: »

Which would make it unenforceable, as I stated.

You gave the right answer but for the wrong reason.

Risteard

What qualifies you to guess as to my reasoning?

moneyistooshorttomention

All you can do really is mentally note he's a let-down merchant and not have yourself/anyone you know book him again.

These people are blimmin' annoying. One was due round this week to take a look at a bit of work that needed doing and it came to a "Where is he?" scenario and I rang him to find out. Cue for him saying it would be next week after all. That was my cue to notch him up as a "let down merchant" and I've just phoned someone else instead and arranged for them to come round and deal with this.

But...yes...it is blimmin' annoying when you've been put to so much inconvenience by one of these characters - been there/done that/got the teeshirt:cool: Some of them just don't seem to be aware and/or don't care that we've got A Life To Lead and we've re-arranged it to suit arrangements we've made with them. One just has to think "They're a fool to themselves - considering how many people I'm going to tell about this". The worst one I've had since moving here probably has a rather wide circle of people here that know what he's like since he mucked me up quite majorly.

MB69

Well to give you heads up and say where this ended up.

Decided to go for legal action against him for damages. Served him the papers and he decided to ignore it all.

Won judgement by default. He then claimed he never received court papers from court, but that soon changed once I sent all proof's that I had also sent him all the papers with registered post.

So ended up winning my case by default and he has now repaid me all the cost different and a bit extra for the inconvenience.

I think I was lucky that he decided to ignore the papers thinking he is above law. Had he defended it, then it may have been different.