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Dispute with tradesperson. Looking for advice

24

Comments

  • eskbanker
    eskbanker Posts: 40,979 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic

    You're not the first and won't be the last to get poor advice from CAB!

    Their own website highlights why neither the bank nor Trading Standards can help get your money back here:

    Step 3 - ask your card provider or PayPal to help

    You might be able to get your money back if you paid by card or PayPal. [note: not bank transfer]

    https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/Solve-an-ongoing-consumer-problem/

    Trading Standards can take businesses to court or stop them operating, but they won’t help you fix your problem - for example, they can’t help you get a refund.

    https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/report-to-trading-standards/

  • Beckz1205
    Beckz1205 Posts: 61 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker

    we paid him via bank transfer. And we were just going to report him to trading standards- didn’t expect them to help reclaim any money. I feel a bit annoyed now with the advice given by CAB….

  • Ectophile
    Ectophile Posts: 8,425 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper

    Before you start legal action, be very careful that you know who you are suing.

    It's quite legal for a sole trader to operate under a trade name. But the trade name is not a company. You need to sue the person.

    If it is a company, it should say so on the paperwork, including the company name and registration details, which you can look up on the Companies House website.

    If you paid him personally, and there's no company details, then sue him personally.

    If it sticks, force it.
    If it breaks, well it wasn't working right anyway.
  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 19,488 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper

    Is there a paper trail which documents each payment made and what the tradesman claimed it covered?

    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
  • Beckz1205
    Beckz1205 Posts: 61 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker

    The payment were made to him- “his name” trad on the bank transfers. Yes we have a record of all payments made to him.

  • GDB2222
    GDB2222 Posts: 27,013 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    No reliance should be placed on the above! Absolutely none, do you hear?
  • Beckz1205
    Beckz1205 Posts: 61 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker

    trading I assume?

  • Grumpy_chap
    Grumpy_chap Posts: 20,838 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker

    To clarify, the paperwork from the tradesman said something to the effect of "John Doe trading as Remarkable Renovations". Is that correct?

    If so, this is a sole trader and you pursue the individual.

  • GDB2222
    GDB2222 Posts: 27,013 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper

    Have you had anything at all in writing? Estimates, quotes, etc? If so, does the name on the bit of paper have the word limited in it?

    When you paid the bank account, was it a business account or a personal account?

    No reliance should be placed on the above! Absolutely none, do you hear?
  • Beckz1205
    Beckz1205 Posts: 61 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker

    He sent us one invoice when he first quoted for some plastering work and that had a company name on it. However when we paid it was to XX TRAD- that’s what comes up on our bank statement. His account was a monzo account but don’t think it was personal. Yes we have a statement with all payments on their and messages with quotes for the work we wanted/he agreed to complete.

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