Plumber fraud

Doozergirl

surely there's some evidence of your agreements in those texts and emails?  Things don't have to be on paper to prove a contract exists.  

Doozergirl

I still can't quite get over the idea of giving nigh on £6,000 to someone without knowing their proper contact details.  

sheikhazad

rach_k said:

Don't get too caught up in the name / Scotland thing.  If you look on Companies House, there are loads of companies with 'Platinum Plumbing' in the name.  My plumber has a name that comes up loads too - doesn't mean he's dodgy, it just means that there are lots of plumbers out there!  Sometimes bank accounts don't show the full name and sometimes people are a bit indecisive about their names!  Some of the very trustworthy companies we use have their name shown differently on things they've bought at different times e.g. the plumber's sign-written van showed a slightly different name to his invoices until he replaced it recently.  People change their minds!  

I don't know what the prices you were given mean as I don't know exactly what you're wanting done, but we paid £3k for a new boiler and £3,600 for installation of a bathroom with us buying everything separately, so maybe what he quoted was reasonable, if he's replacing an old en-suite and installing a new bathroom in the outbuilding too, and doing it to a particular spec (anything special for accessibility?).  We paid 50% up front too, but we know and trust our plumber.

Is it possible that you have expected too much?  It's only two weeks since you even got the quote, so it's not that this has been going on for months and months.  Coronavirus isn't something they've just made up, and I would think a two week delay reasonable if there has been an issue related to that.  The way you said you're considering hounding him night and day makes me suspect that perhaps your own behaviour has been less than sensible. We're only getting half of the story, maybe there were unfortunate but normal delays and you've made it into a huge issue and he's given up even trying.  

If you think that might be the case (or even if you don't, it might be worth a try), I'd suggest emailing him once more.  Say that it's been a stressful time but that you apologise if you haven't been reasonable.  Say that you'd like to start again and would he consider coming back to finish off, or would he prefer to refund you your money.  Even if you don't feel sorry, you have nothing to lose by pretending to be!

It’s him who gave datelines. It’s him who promised everyday “Im coming“ and never informed that he can’t come. I kept waiting whole day. I requested to inform me if he can’t keep promise. But he didn’t care to inform me. I would have never pushed him if he informed me but he didn’t. I pushed for invoice after 1 week.

Question arises why he gave dateline if he cudnt meet even when he knew he has less staff due to corona? Why didn’t he care to inform? I requested for roadmap even after 1 week but he ignored.

i never called him or SMSed him at night but only email. 

Another question is how he managed to do all those jobs and got 5* rating when his company was registered only on 17th March, 1 week before lockdown? Are all those review & rating fake? 

sheikhazad

Doozergirl said:

I still can't quite get over the idea of giving nigh on £6,000 to someone without knowing their proper contact details.  

my brought up is very simple & straightforward, ethics to treat other humans in the same way I’m treated and so I never thought anyone will cheat me. His 5* ratings & review made me believe him and I became stupid 😩

rach_k

sheikhazad said:

It’s him who gave datelines. It’s him who promised everyday “Im coming“ and never informed that he can’t come. I kept waiting whole day. I requested to inform me if he can’t keep promise. But he didn’t care to inform me. I would have never pushed him if he informed me but he didn’t. I pushed for invoice after 1 week.

Question arises why he gave dateline if he cudnt meet even when he knew he has less staff due to corona? Why didn’t he care to inform? I requested for roadmap even after 1 week but he ignored.

i never called him or SMSed him at night but only email. 

Maybe somebody dropped dead.  Or maybe somebody was bereaved or had childcare issues or ate some dodgy chicken and he used a corona excuse rather than describe his digestive situation.  Or maybe he's disorganised and failed to plan properly.  Whatever it is, it doesn't make much difference to the situation you're in now.  He has your money and is ignoring your contact efforts because he feels hounded.  If I'm completely honest, I find your writing style difficult so if you've been emailing him like that, perhaps that is part of the problem.  You can go to court or you can suck it up and play nice, even if you don't feel nice and even if it's all his fault.  If he's a scam artist, he'll continue to ignore you.  If he's a decent person, he might agree to finish the work.  How much time are you wanting to wait?  Court won't be quick.  

T3RRY

As most folks here have said, you will just have to apologise for hounding him perhaps in a few words.  You are angry and thats understandable, maybe more angry at yourself than him for giving out such a large amount. It's life, you live and learn, the lesson here being never to give out large amounts of money without doing your due diligence on who you let into your house or life. Remember, Traders will always offer deals on the spot, but there is always a better deal out there, so take your time to get details. A good trader will always be happy to give you his details and not pressure you to accept it on the spot.

The only option you have now is to email him and hope he replies. Try to also understand that the world is not the same anymore and won't be for a while due to COVID-19, whether you believe in it or not, so he won't be out the next day following your email.
Best of luck

sheikhazad

rach_k said:

sheikhazad said:

It’s him who gave datelines. It’s him who promised everyday “Im coming“ and never informed that he can’t come. I kept waiting whole day. I requested to inform me if he can’t keep promise. But he didn’t care to inform me. I would have never pushed him if he informed me but he didn’t. I pushed for invoice after 1 week.

Question arises why he gave dateline if he cudnt meet even when he knew he has less staff due to corona? Why didn’t he care to inform? I requested for roadmap even after 1 week but he ignored.

i never called him or SMSed him at night but only email. 

Maybe somebody dropped dead.  Or maybe somebody was bereaved or had childcare issues or ate some dodgy chicken and he used a corona excuse rather than describe his digestive situation.  Or maybe he's disorganised and failed to plan properly.  Whatever it is, it doesn't make much difference to the situation you're in now.  He has your money and is ignoring your contact efforts because he feels hounded.  If I'm completely honest, I find your writing style difficult so if you've been emailing him like that, perhaps that is part of the problem.  You can go to court or you can suck it up and play nice, even if you don't feel nice and even if it's all his fault.  If he's a scam artist, he'll continue to ignore you.  If he's a decent person, he might agree to finish the work.  How much time are you wanting to wait?  Court won't be quick.  

I cant express how he lied every single day since he took money. That made me angry and upset. Even after playing like this daily, after 8 days he said he is surely coming and will plan.
When he didn’t come, I called him at 11am & he said he will come at 6pm. I texted him if he can’t come pls text me. At 7pm I texted “Dear Joe, Are u coming?” He said “I already texted you that I am stuck in Cambridge & cant come”.
I didn’t get any text but its how he lied every single day (except 2 days).

 I told him before, “I’m human and if u hv any problem pls inform me instead of keeping me wait, I will surely understand u”.

I sent contract cancellation Notice & will wait for 14 days before claiming in court.

sheikhazad

Doozergirl said:

surely there's some evidence of your agreements in those texts and emails?  Things don't have to be on paper to prove a contract exists.  

Sorry I missed this. Yeah I have email & text proofs 

sheikhazad

Simply, he is “The Lie Lama” (Lie copy of Dalai Lama) 😩

sheikhazad

The manner he showed activeness, how smartly & fast he tried to impress me to transfer money shows, he planned it somehow dishonestly. He lied he is fully booked till October & told me needs to start Working “tomorrow“.
I fell flat in front of his beautiful lies.