Some Help Please

Fantabulous

I employed a small company in a town where I live to clear the large garden which had got considerably overgrown.

They said it would take two days at least.

It took them 4 hours flat. They have not cleared up at all, left a lot of rubbish behind.
They stormed off in a huff when we attempted to pay by cheque, they are demanding cash.

First of all they aren't getting one penny until they have completed the work. They are wanting £450 in cash.

Are they allowed to demand cash over a cheque?

leylie

According to the Cheque & Credit Clearing Company
"Cheques are not legal tender and never have been. Even today, if you owe someone money they are not obliged to accept a cheque. Instead a creditor is entitled to be paid in legal tender and can refuse payment in any other form. "
https://www.chequeandcredit.co.uk/information-hub/law-relating-cheques

As regards the 'service' (or lack of!)
I would suggest that on Monday you contact Trading Standards for advice - if you follow the link below you can enter your postcode to find your local contact.
https://www.tradingstandards.uk/consumers/support-advice

Keep_pedalling

Sounds like a bunch of cowboys who have probably fly tipped anything they took away from your garden.

Cash only is fine when payments are small, but only a very dodgy company would demand cash only for this sort of bill. In future get written quotations with payment terms included, and discard any offing cash in hand only.

I would pay them for the work done, 1/4 of the original estimate, and tell them if the want more they will have to take you to court. Then get professionals in to finish it off.

Ilona

£450 for two days work is far too much, they sound like cowboys. Too late now but the payment method should have been agreed at the time of booking them, also how much of the rubbish was going to be cleared, and how were they going to dispose of it. Do they have contact details on the side of their vehicle. Ask to see their paperwork, ask for an invoice, then tell them how much you think their four hours are worth.

ilona

Fantabulous

Keep_pedalling wrote: »

Sounds like a bunch of cowboys who have probably fly tipped anything they took away from your garden.

Cash only is fine when payments are small, but only a very dodgy company would demand cash only for this sort of bill. In future get written quotations with payment terms included, and discard any offing cash in hand only.

I would pay them for the work done, 1/4 of the original estimate, and tell them if the want more they will have to take you to court. Then get professionals in to finish it off.

No they are a proper company, have been established for years
However they are all gypsies

Will take your advice re Trading Standards

Fantabulous

Originally, the day they arrived to quote they were going to take at least two days, possibly three. So the £400 - £500 was not that expensive.

In the event they took four hours, as I said above. With maybe another 30 minutes to be done on Monday.

Therefore, now, that quote is way over the top

missile

4.5 hours work for how many men/women?

Fantabulous

Just 3 men

My Mother had employed the boss to come out and do the work.
On Friday, since they refused a cheque, they were coming back at 4.30pm to clear up and get paid.

He was knocking on the door at Noon today. I answered the door. He thought my Mother lived by herself.
He wanted his £450.
I had phoned Trading Standards this morning who said to pay him what we thought was a fair amount. So I worked out that £200 was enough.

I said that once the work was completed he could have £200.

So, he threatened me. First of all he was going to empty his wagon of stuff all over the green in front of our house.
He also threatened to string me up.

He said he had to pay to dump the stuff out of the van and he wanted paying so that he could do that.

All I said was that I would report him to the police for fly tipping.

He started bawling and shouting at me.

He got a dressing down he won't forget quickly.

I told him to come back at 4.30pm and to bring back the urn he had taken away, to finish the work and then he would be paid £200.


So, it got to 4.30pm and a car pulled up with the two men whom did most of the work. I unlocked the gate for them. Oh, he hadn't come to work, he says, I was sent to collect £200.

I repeated what I had said above. Bring back the garden urn, finish the work and then you will be paid

Who knows what is going to happen next.

Will phone Trading Standards in the morning and make a formal complaint against the company.

Fantabulous

Nothing happened until Thursday 5th July 8am the guy came knocking on the door demanding payment.
I repeated my mantra of "when you have completed the work you will be paid" He stormed off in a huff.

11am I had a neighbour knocking and asking if I had seen outside. He had brought the wagon back and dumped the whole lot outside of the garage, blocking our garage and the next door garage and half the roadway.

I phoned the police and registered a complaint but they are only dealing with the threats. Fly tipping is the council's responsibility apparently.

I have been inundated with people since 8.30am today.

The police
The council warden - 7 times threatening prosecution if the rubbish isn't moved by 5pm today
The guy wanting money again, whom told the warden I had asked him to dump the stuff back!
Then someone else from the council re the case

The council can't do a quote for removal until next Wednesday
I phoned several companies and have got one. I submitted the photos by email, they charge by cubic metre.

They are coming out tomorrow to take it all away.

Keep_pedalling

As they have fly tipped your stuff on your neighbours property you can be prosecuted for it, although under the circumstances it is unlikely it will come to that especially as you have arranged to have it moved promptly at your own expense.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/environment/12062942/Facebook-fly-tippers-hiring-someone-to-take-rubbish-away-could-land-you-a-5000-fine.html

Unfortunate hiring travellers to do this sort of work is very high risk.

missile

Unfortunately hiring travellers to do any sort of work is very high risk.
My concern would be they may well come back and do !!!8230;!!!8230;!!!8230;!!!8230;

You might have been better to pay them and put it down to experience.