Creating a website documenting a cowboy builder

zazou

I’ll start with my question:  

Is there anything I should be cautious of?  E.g. legal points (libel/slander/defamation), what might bite me back etc.  I intend to do this under my name and will name Cowboy Construction Ltd.

In 2016, we approached a contractor to build an extension to our house and do major landscaping.  It is now well into 2022 and the work is not yet finished.  

The extension has been nearly finished, landscaping at the front of the house has been a building site since 2017.

Unfortunately, the cowboy has charisma, so we’ve fallen for the implied promise of ‘now things will be finished off for good’ and not gotten a written contract.  Fortunately we haven’t paid in advance, just the weekly invoice when work has been done.  Living on a building site and at the mercy of a cowboy who shows up when it is convenient for him has taken its toll.  Our dream house, our forever house has too many bad memories associated with it, so we will put it on the market once it is in a fit state.

I have all our communications (no really nasty things), emails, text messages and a call log containing hundreds of times that I’ve phoned but there’s been no answer.  Also, hundreds of pictures (with dates) of the work in various stages.

It is now at the stage that I’m contemplating about compiling all of that into a story (a journal if you like).  Dates, communications, work discussed & performed, and the work I know about he went off to do instead of finishing our house (e.g. absconding and not answering any means of communication for 18 months while busy building a small block of flats).  

This would be in the form of a webpage, perhaps a facebook page too.  The tone would only be about the facts, I’ll steer clear of what I think about him and the grief and harm he’s caused our family.

I live in a village, where this cowboy is from and still lives.  Surrounded by small villages and towns.  Perhaps local print media might show this interest, but I’m willing to spend time creating the page and put money towards promoting it, so that when people google Cowboy Construction Ltd, my page will be 1st or 2nd.  I do realise that he’s in such a demand that it probably won’t harm him too much.

seatbeltnoob

the web page will never get traction, it will be buried somewhere in page 30 on google, best bet is to write reviews on google and the various tradmen sites. that will impact his future work and he should act on that.

you can't be sued for defation/slander on something that is factually correct. so you should be clear with language and dont make accusations like offered discount for cash, so probably dodging tax etc.

CKhalvashi

You'll find it extremely difficult to actually get visitors to the site so I doubt you'll achieve what you want to in any event without a significant marketing spend (and what would this gain you in returns?).

As long as you can prove everything you say to the satisfaction of a court, you are not at risk of losing there.

In short, I feel this is destined to fail in any event.

Doozergirl

Naming them here will probably get you better traction with Google? 

Sandtree

Unless you are skilled at SEM then you create it and no one ever sees it. You could advertise it with Google but then the company could just exhaust your budget by keep clicking on your advert.

Deformation legal action is nutoriously expensive and ultimately they don't have to have a strong case to make you potentially run up large bills or end up having to pay their bills. In reality its more likely they just send cease and desist letters to whoever is hosting your site and as your not paying vast sums to host the site the company will simply take it down because its not worth them getting involved. 

GDB2222

seatbeltnoob said:

the web page will never get traction, it will be buried somewhere in page 30 on google, best bet is to write reviews on google and the various tradmen sites. that will impact his future work and he should act on that.

you can't be sued for defation/slander on something that is factually correct. so you should be clear with language and dont make accusations like offered discount for cash, so probably dodging tax etc.

You also can’t be sued for leaving 1 star reviews that are very vague and subjective, eg I was completely dissatisfied with the quality of the work / Not recommended.  

Since the aim is to get the word out, without risk of being sued, that’s what I would do. Also, bear in mind that many people won’t read a long review, anyway.

Bendy_House

Zaz, you haven't paid them for work they haven't done? So, if you end the 'contract' now, you won't be out of pocket, and they won't be chasing you?

What do you actually WANT? For them to suddenly get their act together and finish the job? If so, give them a date by which to do this. If/when they don't, get someone else to do so. When the work is nearly finished, then fill review sites with your honest reviews (and hopefully you'll be able to write +ve ones for their replacement!)

If you launch this website NOW, then don't be surprised if you scare off other local tradesfolk from giving you quotes. You could be stuffed.

I think it's overkill anyway, and is unlikely to serve its purpose in the way you imagine.

Section62

zazou said:

I live in a village, where this cowboy is from and still lives.  Surrounded by small villages and towns.  Perhaps local print media might show this interest, but I’m willing to spend time creating the page and put money towards promoting it, so that when people google Cowboy Construction Ltd, my page will be 1st or 2nd.  I do realise that he’s in such a demand that it probably won’t harm him too much.

You and he live in a village, and he gets much of his work through word of mouth?

Rightly or wrongly, your website is probably unlikely to have any impact on his business, and could leave you in a position where other residents in the village start disliking you very much.  If they have had work done by this person without problems then you are unlikely to get much sympathy for your claims.

That might not be such an issue if you really are planning to move away asap, but you still need to get the work finished off and find a buyer for the property.

That might not be so easy if you publicise not only the difficulties you've had, but also that the property you are trying to sell has had major work done on it by a "cowboy".

Anyone with any sense will google the name of the village before buying a property there, and I don't see how you could prevent them finding your name and shame site if they do.  This could end up doing you a lot more damage than you can cause to him.

Murmansk

Move on!         

Rosa_Damascena

OP, if you go ahead bear in mind you're unlikely to win friends in the village. The website isn't going to get you justice and waste a lot of your time (although I can appreciate it might help you release pent-up frustration).

If you want revenge, just hold out for karma. 

TELLIT01

Unless the OP has absolute proof of everything they claim this builder has done, they lay themselves open to court action.  I would be very, very careful before going down this route.