Scaffolding Scam

Hepburnldn

Dear all

I hope you will be able to help with my current issue.

I employed a scaffolding company who quoted £5.5K (itemised quote provided) to scaffold a house in order for us to paint all exterior windows, check drains, guttering and roof, and repoint a number of areas around the property.  They confirmed that it would take 2 working days to erect (8-9 September) and we planned for contractors to begin work from 12 September.

On day 1, the team had not been briefed on the work at hand, and subsequently I was called by the PA (who originally provided the quote), who explained that the Director in charge of the job was on holiday! I met with the team and explained the work we had booked in over the month/access required and they set off to work, however they said there would be a week delay.  I asked them to contact me when the site was completely set up for contractors to use.

We are now 2 weeks delayed (2 contractors have moved on to another job/on holiday, so not sure if they will be able to complete the work in time) and following a phone call from the PA who informed me that the Director (on holiday) misquoted the job, we have received an email asking for a further £3,600.00 for work we didn't ask for, or agree to be carried out.  This amount has simply been sent in an email and not itemised via an invoice, so it is not quite clear what they would be expecting us to pay for.

Are they able to simply add more scaffolding and then charge us?  The building is run by a management company, with leaseholders (we have had to go through a very long Section 20 process), so any work would have to have been presented to all leaseholders, and agreed upon.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Alderbank

This is a B2B contract.
If it had been a consumer contract you would have had some protection from consumer legislation designed to protect the unequal balance between lay people and professional organisations. As it stands the law expects the contracts manager you employ to deal with these issues.

The scaffolder will have a very different agenda to you. Your contracts manager needs to understand how scaffolders work and how to get the outcome your company needs rather than what the scaffolders would prefer to do.

What does your contract with the scaffolder say?

tacpot12

I think this is a scam. I would offer them the option to do the work they quoted for, or cancel the contract and fight you for what a judge says you owe them to erect and remove the scaffold. I think a judge will not give them that much money, perhaps £3,600? If you have legal expenses insurance for your business, talk to the provider of your insurnance. 

The alternative is to ask them to itemise the work, explain house the mistake happened and ask them to cover half the cost of the mistake with your business covering the other half. 

Hepburnldn

tacpot12 said:

I think this is a scam. I would offer them the option to do the work they quoted for, or cancel the contract and fight you for what a judge says you owe them to erect and remove the scaffold. I think a judge will not give them that much money, perhaps £3,600? If you have legal expenses insurance for your business, talk to the provider of your insurnance. 

The alternative is to ask them to itemise the work, explain house the mistake happened and ask them to cover half the cost of the mistake with your business covering the other half. 

Thanks tacpot12, this is greatly appreciated and we do have legal expense insurance, so I will contact them tomorrow.

I also think the suggested solution is a reasonable one but I am ready to fight them in court.