due diligence a bit too late perhaps - new bathroom

aah

I hope folks can help.
After a struggle we appointed a company to fit our new bathroom. Best of three bad quotes. I find in our area its almost impossible to get folks to do a decent quote and show willingness to do a job without appearing a total wide boy.
Well this is the wide boy.
Work is due to start on Monday. We have paid him half the money (2k) for the materials two weeks ago - he wants the other half today. And then wants the fitter paid directly.
I have mistrusted this man because his showroom is shoddy (it was allegedly in the middle of a total refit) - he kept saying things to me like: "its a woman's right to change her mind", "don't be nervous", "my wife would be just the same .......". A bit patronising at best.
I emailed him questions, always ccing my husband in, he always replied just to me. He really shouts I want to turn down the volume.
Writing this I can see its a bit personal, but I don't get a good feeling about this guy. I'm disturbed he wants all the goods money before even starting.
I checked his testimonials on FB - there werent many but they were fine.
Well eventually, a little late, I googled him and his company. The company he claims to be working for was wound up in 2017. I noticed he signs his emails from another company. It was wound up in 2016. He now has two new companies with two similar names. He was done for fraud in 2013 for dodgy accounting (accountancy fraud) and according to the local paper was lucky to be spared prison.
I don't know what to do now. I want to pull out but I dont want to lose the 2k we have given him to spend on materials (not yet delivered, and incidentally he is on holiday right now ......).
How do I tell him we dont want his services and also get our 2k back.
Please help

Tom99

Have you signed a contract, if so what did it say about deposit and timing of payment for the work?

aah

We havent signed it. We have a payment schedule from him which says 50% for materials due immediately, 50% 3 days before work starts (today) and pay the fitter directly

Tom99

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]If you try and cancel things now you are unlikely to see your £2,000 or the materials.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]I would wait and see if the materials arrive and then decide what to do but not pay any more for the time being.[/FONT]

SuzieSue

Pull out now. Worry about the £2k later. You might be able to take him to the small claims court. You don't want someone like that anywhere near your house. He could flood it or cause all sorts of other problems.

Bathroom fitting is a very skilled job and it is very difficult to find even a decent fitter let alone a good one.

Walk away now. Don't let him in your house. £2k is a small price to pay to save you from months of hell.

Doozergirl

You want your fittings at least.

I’d agree to pay for the fittings as soon as they arrive at the house. Ask for them to be delivered a few days before work starts.

At that point, you decide whether you want to go ahead with the rest, but the contract moves away from him to the fitter if that is who you are paying. And there is no need to pay for labour in advance. It’s the fitter you’d want to check on at this point!

SuzieSue

Doozergirl wrote: »

You want your fittings at least.

I’d agree to pay for the fittings as soon as they arrive at the house. Ask for them to be delivered a few days before work starts.

At that point, you decide whether you want to go ahead with the rest, but the contract moves away from him to the fitter if that is who you are paying. And there is no need to pay for labour in advance. It’s the fitter you’d want to check on at this point!

Yes, but I very much doubt that he will order any fittings until the OP has paid the other 50%.

Tom99

SuzieSue wrote: »

Yes, but I very much doubt that he will order any fittings until the OP has paid the other 50%.

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]It will still be better for the OP to say they will pay the balance of £2,000 when the fittings arrive. If they don't arrive only then talk about cancelling the contract and the return of the £2,000.[/FONT]

aah

Thankyou. We have written to him outlining our concerns that arose during the internet searches and asking him to not start work until after all materials are on site. Also stating that we are not paying any more until all materials are on site.
waiting to see what happens

Ectophile

It sounds like one of those contracts where the bathroom company only supplies the goods, and they put you in touch with a recommended fitter.

It saves a bit on VAT - the fitter probably isn't VAT registered.

But, as you've discovered, it can get a bit fraught when things don't work out the way you want them to.

The odds of them voluntarily giving you your 2K back are pretty slim. You've got more hope of saying you'll pay when the goods are delivered.

Doozergirl

aah wrote: »

Thankyou. We have written to him outlining our concerns that arose during the internet searches and asking him to not start work until after all materials are on site. Also stating that we are not paying any more until all materials are on site.
waiting to see what happens

There’s a way of influencing things so that it doesn’t get the back up of the person you genuinely think is a problem.

But it’s done now.