Quote vs Estimate

amancalledalex

Good morning,
I've a question for you and I hope you can help me.
Last year our neighbour had their garden done. We could see it from our upstairs window and it looked nice. We chatted to the workmen about giving us a quote.

They came around on Friday, unannounced and gave us a quote of 13000.They didn't confirm it in writing via email, as it says they ought to do on the website. We wrote this quote down and were happy with the quote. They made a lot of play out of the fact that they were signed up to Checkatrade and we could pay by instalments.  Of course they aren't, even though they have their logo on the website.. They were going to start on Monday, but we were rudely awaken on Saturday morning by the guys wanting to make a start. We agreed. There wasn't much else we could do. There was about 6 of them!

On Monday afternoon they suddenly turned slightly threatening and said the cost had now risen to 20,000.  I had earlier checked with them to ask about how the artificial grass would drain and they said "Don't worry about that, we'll sort it out at no cost". They are still working on the garden, and it ought to be finished by tomorrow. They couldn't really tell me why the price had risen, but they muttered something about extra drainage. If they had asked me if we could have afforded £20k we would have said "NO!" We discussed the price after they had gone and WE CAN'T AFFORD IT. They now want their money tomorrow. 

Where do we stand legally? I've done some research and I'm sure that we are on good grounds to pay them what we agreed (13k). If they had said £20k we would have told them we couldn't afford it. I believed that we got a quote and this is why I told them that they could go ahead with the work. 

I'm really worried as my wife and I are both disabled and this issue has played havoc with our mental health! I guess we are classed as vulnerable.
 
Any advice would be really appreciated! It is fairly urgent.

Thanks

Amancalledalex

binao

How have they asked to be paid?

 How does your £13,000 and £20,000 compare with your what your neighbour paid.

Quotes are fixed, estimates are guesses.

Maybe worth a trip to the Town Hall  Community consumer protection department.

How where they threatening. Do you have family/friends you can call upon.

Take pics of vans etc from a window

Good luck.

WustyRex

Pay nothing, they sound like travelers to me.  7000 for extra drainage..... avvin a laff .
Typical cowboy methods. If 6 guys arrived I guess they all looked similar too.
You need support from family , neighbours or friends even the police.
Quote is a fixed price and if verbal, they have no contract or terms and conditions. Trusty |Trader wont be happy eithetr==r.

TELLIT01

As there is nothing in writing it's going to come down to "We said, they said".  I would be straight onto Citizens Advice on Tuesday as they would have to refer you to Trading Standards if that is appropriate.  If they continue to issue threats, even veiled ones, you need to contact the police.

My mother had a not dissimilar situation years ago.  A guy knocked on her door offering to cut her hedge, which was in need of doing.  She agree a price to cut it back to a certain level but they only did half the job and then demanded more to complete it.  She said she would have to speak to me first when I got home, and dropped into the conversation that I worked for the police.  That was true as I was a civilian employee.  Strangely they never came back so she at least got half a job for nothing.