Who should pay - me or builder?

Popsapoppy

in 2021 I had some renovation work carried out by a builder - I paid him, he got all the equipment needed and carried out the work. Included in that was skip hire. When he finished the job I assumed everything was paid for. A year later I have an invoice to 'The Occupier' asking me to pay for the skip hire. I did not order the skip or sign for the delivery of the skip. They are now threatening me with a debt recovery agency and I just wonder what my rights are in this circumstance?
Thanks for any help in this matter.

DullGreyGuy

You have no contract with them so their chances of recovering from you are minimal. 

Personally I'd write back as "the occupier" (let them do more work if they want your name) and advise you've never had a contract to hire a skip and therefore they need to chase whoever was the hirer

ThisIsWeird

Pops, can you confirm that it was the skip hire co that sent this bill, and not the builder? (I think that's what you meant, but just to clarify).

Do you have a copy of the builder's quote, which hopefully includes 'removal of all waste material blah blah' or even mentions the skip? If so, I'd personally send a copy to this co.

If the builder hasn't paid, then he should. If he has, then he can have the argument. Either way, this should prove to the skip co that it has now't to do with you.

subjecttocontract

They are just trying their luck with you as they probably can't get your builder to pay. Sometimes it works, they get their money everyone goes away reasonably happy. Just follow the instructions above and you are like!y to never hear from them again.

We had a similar situation with a house we were building. The main contractor ordered timber, it was delivered and used  but he didn't pay for it. The timber firm tried to get me to pay......I declined and we never heard from them again. Good luck.

Section62

Popsapoppy said:

in 2021 I had some renovation work carried out by a builder - I paid him, he got all the equipment needed and carried out the work. Included in that was skip hire. When he finished the job I assumed everything was paid for. A year later I have an invoice to 'The Occupier' asking me to pay for the skip hire. I did not order the skip or sign for the delivery of the skip. They are now threatening me with a debt recovery agency and I just wonder what my rights are in this circumstance?
Thanks for any help in this matter.

Can you clarify - have you only recently had the invoice, or did you get it some time in 2022 (a year after the work)?

If it was 2022 when you were invoiced, what did you do about it at the time (if anything)?

travis-powers

I’ve always had to pay in advance for a skip and I’ve used several companies.

Popsapoppy

Hi all, thanks for the advice. The invoice was sent by the skip hire company, the skip was removed in Jan 2022. To be honest, this is the second letter, I let the builder know about the first and hoped that would be the end of it. I am now getting no answer from the builder at all, (an individual who came recommended not a company). Just don't want the hassle of 'bad debt' being associated with the address for future credit. 

ThisIsWeird

Popsapoppy said:

Hi all, thanks for the advice. The invoice was sent by the skip hire company, the skip was removed in Jan 2022. To be honest, this is the second letter, I let the builder know about the first and hoped that would be the end of it. I am now getting no answer from the builder at all, (an individual who came recommended not a company). Just don't want the hassle of 'bad debt' being associated with the address for future credit. 

I wouldn't just ignore it, and I wouldn't just tear it up, but I also wouldn't worry about it.
If you have evidence that the builder was meant to handle this, then send a copy to the skip company with a polite covering note, and ask them to 'respectfully' not contact you again.
Almost certainly that will be the end of it.

GrubbyGirl_2

Interesting.  When I had my house renovated I had 6 skips delivered.  The company my builder used always required payment on collection. I could be that he had a deal with the company as he always paid the driver cash.  Have you spoken to your builder and asked him if he paid?