Should I pay?

MalMonroe

I think you need to write a detailed letter of complaint to the company, especially about the fact that their employee fell asleep on the job. It sounds like he could have been ill, or maybe hungover, or something. But that's something I'd have raised at the time. I'd also have taken detailed photos of ALL the waste - without separating anything - and if I had to pay for it to be disposed of, I'd send them the bill for that. 

If you don't complain properly and tell the company what went wrong, then obviously they are going to want full payment. 

You said " However, the company is demanding immediate payment as per their terms and conditions and then they say an investigation will then be carried out regarding the work" - why can't they investigate before you pay? Once they have your money there'll be no incentive for them to investigate anything. 

Paying up and then leaving bad reviews won't solve anything nor will it help any future customers of this company. If you don't complain officially but then leave bad reviews the company could likely sue you, too as that will be bad publicity for them, with no explanation for your opinion.

I can never understand why people in the UK are so reluctant to complain about shoddy goods and services. You received shoddy workmanship - it turned out okay in the end, yes, but it was traumatic for you throughout. 

born_again

MalMonroe said:

I can never understand why people in the UK are so reluctant to complain about shoddy goods and services. You received shoddy workmanship - it turned out okay in the end, yes, but it was traumatic for you throughout. 

Yet are quite happy to post bad reviews & moan to anyone that will listen. Instead of going to the route cause. 

waribai

MalMonroe said:

You received shoddy workmanship - it turned out okay in the end, yes, but it was traumatic for you throughout. 

This is the issue in a nutshell. I couldn't have summed it up better.Thanks for all the replies. In short, no I wasn't suggesting paying 0%. What I wanted from them was an acknowledgement that it was poor service for an employee representing the company to turn up at 11am and leave by 1pm and miss 4 days only texting or sometimes not even contacting.
Also, yes if they could also have acknowledged the stress this caused along with dumping all the rubbish on the driveway which included his half-drunk energy drinks and yogurts smeared around our wheelie bin.
The company have actually responded and said their investigation is complete and that apparently the reason it took so long was how difficult the job was, no mention of the lack of attendance or the paucity of attendance. They are completely in the right but as a gesture of goodwill they will give us a 5% deduction on the proviso we do not take the matter any further. I am inclined to accept and move on with life. 

Grumpy_chap

The gesture of goodwill seems equitable.

pinkshoes

Take the 5% and move on.

Or does this also mean you are signing your rights away to leave feedback?!?!?

biscan25

I'm not sure you can sign your rights to give feedback away. Take the 5%, and moan away! It helps others avoid these guys.

macman

MalMonroe said:

I think you need to write a detailed letter of complaint to the company, especially about the fact that their employee fell asleep on the job. It sounds like he could have been ill, or maybe hungover, or something. But that's something I'd have raised at the time. I'd also have taken detailed photos of ALL the waste - without separating anything - and if I had to pay for it to be disposed of, I'd send them the bill for that. 

If you don't complain properly and tell the company what went wrong, then obviously they are going to want full payment. 

You said " However, the company is demanding immediate payment as per their terms and conditions and then they say an investigation will then be carried out regarding the work" - why can't they investigate before you pay? Once they have your money there'll be no incentive for them to investigate anything. 

Paying up and then leaving bad reviews won't solve anything nor will it help any future customers of this company. If you don't complain officially but then leave bad reviews the company could likely sue you, too as that will be bad publicity for them, with no explanation for your opinion.

I can never understand why people in the UK are so reluctant to complain about shoddy goods and services. You received shoddy workmanship - it turned out okay in the end, yes, but it was traumatic for you throughout. 

Even though the T and C's clearly state that waste will be left on site?
And that the extra waste amounted to a few drinks cans and yogurt pots 'smeared around my wheelie bin'?
The hours worked by the contractors are their own concern, the OP was paying a fixed price, not a day rate.
Nothing that the OP has stated gives them any rights to expect a discount or delay payment. I agree with you 100% about the British reluctance to complain, but the time to do it is when the problem arises, not when the bill arrives.

waribai

macman said:

the time to do it is when the problem arises, not when the bill arrives.

macman said:

the time to do it is when the problem arises, not when the bill arrives.

Exactly.  Maybe you didn't read the part where I said we complained during the works via email and telephone and were told essentially that they couldn't do anything till after the job was complete.  

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Depending upon the answers to my previous questions you may not be obligated o pay anything either way. 

waribai

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

Depending upon the answers to my previous questions you may not be obligated o pay anything either way. 

Thanks. The conditions they are holding us to are the terms and conditions on their website and the acceptance of their emailed quote.