Help with a tradesperson

naturalsuperwoman

I wonder if anyone can help me. My friend who has a disability and mental health difficulties, recently hired a plasterer to plaster his bathroom (after a leak from the flat above damaged the ceiling). He got someone from Gumtree and initially was quoted £400 for 3 days work. The guy came and spent 1 day plastering for the same sum (some of the cost was paid by my friend and some from the upstairs resident who had caused the leak). The standard of plastering isn’t very good, the plasterer plastered over the light fitting and the quality of the plaster job is awful, the walls are now uneven and of different thicknesses in different places. Initially my friend contacted the plasterer to ask him to remedy this and he said he was out of the country for 2 week (this morning), I’ve rung the plasterer tonight, he picked up and advised that his job was now over and a professional painter will be able to patch it up and paint over it to make it look good. I went to town a little bit and explained that my friend was disabled and that he needed to come back and remedy. He has said he will return tomorrow (and has sent a message to my friend saying the same). My friend is on benefits and can’t afford another plasterer to remedy the job. Additionally, he suffers with a lot of social anxiety and is dreading having to speak to the plasterer when he turns up (I live 160 miles away so can’t be there).

What are my friends rights here if the plasterer fails to remedy the job or doesn’t turn up?

Thank you for your help.

pinkshoes

He is entitled to the job completed to a satisfactory level.

If the plasterer fails to do this, then he would need to take legal action e.g. getting quotes to rectify the problem and asking the plasterer to either fix his work or pay for someone else to do it, otherwise you will take him to court for the costs.

Gumtree?? I'm guessing that he might only have a mobile number as a contact detail? Any registered business address you have or can find? You'll need this for further action.

hollydays

There are plasterers and there are plasterers.Its a real skill imho.
I wouldn't source one on gumtree:eek:
It's very subjective and risky like roofers and damp course people.

naturalsuperwoman

pinkshoes wrote: »

He is entitled to the job completed to a satisfactory level.

If the plasterer fails to do this, then he would need to take legal action e.g. getting quotes to rectify the problem and asking the plasterer to either fix his work or pay for someone else to do it, otherwise you will take him to court for the costs.

Gumtree?? I'm guessing that he might only have a mobile number as a contact detail? Any registered business address you have or can find? You'll need this for further action.

Hi Pinkshoes,

Yes, he only had a mobile number for contacts. After I rang tonight, he did at least message my friend to say he would come tomorrow. There are no further details and my friend is unlikely to be able to pursue this through legal action as he only has benefits for his income. I’ve done a quick google search based on number and name but nothing came up. I will ask my friend how the guy was quoted and whether he invoiced. I assume since the upstairs neighbour paid part of the cost there must be some further details available.

The plasterer was essentially saying to me that he’d checked it, it was fine and that some filler would solve the problem but it’s things like completely plastering over a light fitting and large grooves to the plaster etc. Not a small thing to patch up with filler.

Thanks

Naturalsuperwoman

naturalsuperwoman

hollydays wrote: »

There are plasterers and there are plasterers.
I wouldn't source one on gumtree:eek:

I’d suggested getting 3 quotes but it needed doing and since he was paying part of the cost, I think he went for someone cheaper as he only has benefits. It’s such a shame as it’s completey ruined walls that were previously OK.

Mistral001

pinkshoes wrote: »

He is entitled to the job completed to a satisfactory level.

If the plasterer fails to do this, then he would need to take legal action e.g. getting quotes to rectify the problem and asking the plasterer to either fix his work or pay for someone else to do it, otherwise you will take him to court for the costs.

Gumtree?? I'm guessing that he might only have a mobile number as a contact detail? Any registered business address you have or can find? You'll need this for further action.

This spot on. I would add to this that I would not get any other plasterer involved until your friend cannot get the plasterer to make good the faulty work. The plasterer must be given the chance to make good. If your friend does not do this, he might have problems claiming damages from the plasterer through the Small Claim Court.

The plasterer must give you an invoice or a receipt with his name and address on it (or Ltd Company name and address if Ltd). If he does not do this, report him to Trading Standards.

hollydays

naturalsuperwoman wrote: »

I’d suggested getting 3 quotes but it needed doing and since he was paying part of the cost, I think he went for someone cheaper as he only has benefits. It’s such a shame as it’s completey ruined walls that were previously OK.

Sad. It's a minefield.
MY son used someone that looked ok on paper ( he LATER realised the reviews were fake from friends ) they were good plasterers but didnt use a dust sheet on his newly bleached fancy smanchy wooden floors:eek:
I spent several hours with a Brillo pad and galllons of water , to not much effect.

hollydays

Mistral001 wrote: »

This spot on. I would add to this that I would not get any other plasterer involved until your friend cannot get the plasterer to make good the faulty work. The plasterer must be given the chance to make good. If your friend does not do this, he might have problems claiming damages from the plasterer through the Small Claim Court.

The plasterer must give you an invoice or a receipt with his name and address on it (or Ltd Company name and address if Ltd). If he does not do this, report him to Trading Standards.

Aren't trading standards a different creature these days?

MothballsWallet

hollydays wrote: »

Aren't trading standards a different creature these days?

Like they take the Ofcom/Ofgem approach of "don't care, not our problem unless we get a lorry load of complaints"?

Comms69

naturalsuperwoman wrote: »

I wonder if anyone can help me. My friend who has a disability and mental health difficulties, recently hired a plasterer to plaster his bathroom (after a leak from the flat above damaged the ceiling). He got someone from Gumtree and initially was quoted £400 for 3 days work. The guy came and spent 1 day plastering for the same sum (some of the cost was paid by my friend and some from the upstairs resident who had caused the leak). The standard of plastering isn’t very good, the plasterer plastered over the light fitting and the quality of the plaster job is awful, the walls are now uneven and of different thicknesses in different places. Initially my friend contacted the plasterer to ask him to remedy this and he said he was out of the country for 2 week (this morning), I’ve rung the plasterer tonight, he picked up and advised that his job was now over and a professional painter will be able to patch it up and paint over it to make it look good. I went to town a little bit and explained that my friend was disabled and that he needed to come back and remedy. He has said he will return tomorrow (and has sent a message to my friend saying the same). My friend is on benefits and can’t afford another plasterer to remedy the job. Additionally, he suffers with a lot of social anxiety and is dreading having to speak to the plasterer when he turns up (I live 160 miles away so can’t be there).

What are my friends rights here if the plasterer fails to remedy the job or doesn’t turn up?

Thank you for your help.

Does your friend own the flat?
Why was the cost only partially covered?

DoaM

No home insurance policy held by your friend or the upstairs neighbour?