Help - chasing a bad builder

Jon_Lewis_Clowns

Hi

Had an extension done, turns out the builder was one of those doing three jobs at once types, won't bore you with the details but took forever. The electrical inspection has found that the guy didn't install a ring circuit in the kitchen. I've asked him to come back and fix it, set two dates and he hasn't turned up to either and gone back to not answering phone calls or texts.

So what are my options please? what can I do to either get the money he was paid back or preferably just get the work done? I need some leverage to get this guy back as as far as he's concerned he got paid.

Thanks for any help.

Doozergirl

is he a registered electrician? Because he'd need to be.

Jon_Lewis_Clowns

He said he was, we were under the impression he'd be using a contractor but he did the work himself. That was one of the few times we actually saw him during the build. He fitted an electric hob which didn't work so we had to get the suppliers out. He also installed a socket too close to the hob which doesn't meet code.

Doozergirl

Jon_Lewis_Clowns said:

He said he was, we were under the impression he'd be using a contractor but he did the work himself. That was one of the few times we actually saw him during the build. He fitted an electric hob which didn't work so we had to get the suppliers out. He also installed a socket too close to the hob which doesn't meet code.

I think that's your answer. 

Why do you want him back to do it? 

Jon_Lewis_Clowns

Because we paid him, he left the job incomplete. There were big stretches where he'd disappear to another job. I'm guessing he just forgot he hadn't installed the ring properly. We had the electrical survey done afterwards and this was the main problem.

Jon_Lewis_Clowns

I do have the invoices so could ask him to reimburse for the unfinished job or get it done.

FaceHead

Have you received certificate of any sort of the electrical work? When it's reported to the competent person scheme, they normally write direct to you/'the occupier' and confirm such.

Assuming not, first you need to ring him up and tell him to get back there and sort it. When that doesn't work you need to write to the builder, saying the work isn't up to scratch, it needs rectifying and the certificate supplied (which might mean getting local building control to sign it off at his expense) 

Do you know his full name and address to write to? 

Once you've written to him, given him, say, 4 weeks to sort it, and it hasn't happened, then you get pay someone else to do the work and try to get the cost off the builder through moneyclaimonline - which is where having his full name and address is critical. 

Jon_Lewis_Clowns

thank you, we've had the electrical survey done and can use that, Will take it up with moneyclaimonline if he's not back before Christmas.

Risteard

There is no requirement for a socket circuit in a kitchen (or anywhere else for that matter) to be a ring final circuit. Are you sure this is what the electrical inspection stated?

fenwick458

Jon_Lewis_Clowns said:

The electrical inspection has found that the guy didn't install a ring circuit in the kitchen.

Do you have an EICR that states "you must have a ring circuit in the kitchen"?

Did you agree this with the builder before work started?

what is installed now, a radial circuit (2.5mm T&E on a 16/20A MCB)?