How to find a Dodgy Builder

[SeaSurfer]

No, i dont want one, ive already got one (

Wont go in to detail, but gist is, a builder had tried to rip my mum off for some work to her roof, and i found out the cost just in the nick of time and cancelled him starting. He had put scaffolding up and refuses to take it down, but is very agressive on the phone and demanding money for his loss of earnings.

I had to contact consumer direct who have passed details of the case to trading standards. I have to write to him but cannot find his address.

I have looked up bt residential, yell, builders ass, companies house, we think we found him on facebook but there is no shared info that we can access.

Any other idea's how to find someone would be greatly appreciated. I thought you could find someone by their telephone number but cannaot get it to work on google, think its called backtrack or retrieval

 

[HornelZ3M]

Hi gill.
You should have if he is a proper builder , an estimate or price for the work that was to be carried out this should have his name and address, now i am not stupid so i assume as he is a dodgy builder then you dont have one, so there is no comeback on yourself to have cancelled him before work has started so tell him to remove the scaffold or you will get someone at his expense, Paul

 

[SeaSurfer]

Thanks, Paul, no mum hasnt any thing at all on paper, and she didnt sign any thing. Consumer Direct say he should have given her a written 7 day cancellation document, which he didnt, so the ''contract'' is unenforceable.

I actually rang him tonight and asked him for his address, still angry, he refused, but he is going to charge a daily scaffolding fee (Yeah right!!!) because we refuse to send him money. We asked him to take it away just over two weeks ago but its still there, and no sign of scaff tagging.

I live 80 miles away so trying to deal with it from a distance, but determined to find him.

 

[HornelZ3M]

Its probably his scaffold as there would be an advert on a professional one. Tell him trading standards will be dealing with it from now on and see him move it then )

 

[SeaSurfer]

Im just glad i found out in time, elderly people are so trusting, and the worse is, mum has known this chap for years well enough to chat to if she saw him in the village.

We now think it is his own scaffolding but he got a pal to send me a bill which started off at £420, then went to £620 and latest figure is now with VAT £744. I have checked the vat reg no and it is registered to the name on the bill but we dont have any dealings with him

 

[HornelZ3M]

i can understand that but when it comes down to it tell him to take you to court and you will find how professional he is, i think its called not a leg to stand on :ymhug: oh yes i am in the building industry s

 

[swamper]

get the lads round....we'll shift it for him.. :-^

 

[hard top]

Or take it down yourself and sell it as scrap........ s

 

[SeaSurfer]

We worked out after the extortionate maximum labour costs, the ""materials''" ie sand and cement ( £30's worth ) was going to be charged at £1200

 

[hard top]

get the lads round....we'll shift it for him.. :-^

+ 1

 

[D C]

If you or your mother feel at all intimidated or threatened by his behaviour or attitude it could be worth while contacting the police and explaining the situation.
A very similar thing happened to me a few years ago and the police considered it to be anti social behaviour and had a word with the tradesman involved.
The result was no further problem.
Hope you get this sorted as it's nasty and unacceptable.
Dave.

 

[Aceman]

Gill, make sure you keep a record of all your conversations with him and any other communications they may come in handy if it gets a little dirty. It may pay you to contact a local solicitor and ask them to knock up a letter asking for the scaffolding to be removed from your Mums property or you will start charging rent whilst it is still errected, also give him a deadline and stick to it. Although this might be inconvenient considerring the distance between yourself and your mums I would then arrange to meet him at your Mums house if you cannot deliver it to his address stipulating he is not allowed to enter the grounds of the property until you give him permission so you can witness him dismantling it without damage to the property.

He is likely to want to remove the scaffolding quite quickly if the table is turned around as scaffolding isn't cheap and he will lose business if he doesn't have access to it.

Good luck and nail the B*%*%*d. X(

 

[SeaSurfer]

If you or your mother feel at all intimidated or threatened by his behaviour or attitude it could be worth while contacting the police and explaining the situation.
A very similar thing happened to me a few years ago and the police considered it to be anti social behaviour and had a word with the tradesman involved.
The result was no further problem.
Hope you get this sorted as it's nasty and unacceptable.
Dave.

Following another horrible phonecall last friday evening, i did ring the police, im not bothered but i am worried he may turn up at mums. I explained what had happened, and they said they couldnt do anything until he threatened us with violence or caused damage to the property!

 

[SeaSurfer]

Gill, make sure you keep a record of all your conversations with him and any other communications they may come in handy if it gets a little dirty. It may pay you to contact a local solicitor and ask them to knock up a letter asking for the scaffolding to be removed from your Mums property or you will start charging rent whilst it is still errected, also give him a deadline and stick to it. Although this might be inconvenient considerring the distance between yourself and your mums I would then arrange to meet him at your Mums house if you cannot deliver it to his address stipulating he is not allowed to enter the grounds of the property until you give him permission so you can witness him dismantling it without damage to the property.

He is likely to want to remove the scaffolding quite quickly if the table is turned around as scaffolding isn't cheap and he will lose business if he doesn't have access to it.

Good luck and nail the B*%*%*d. X(

Aceman, i have kept notes of all our conversations, times, dates ect. I have a letter which CD dictated to me ready to send to him when found. The scaffolding is actually in the garden of next door to mums. He does a bit of labouring for the builder, but was disgusted to hear of the cost of the work. I dont think he will be recommending him to anyone else.

I intend to: quote """ nail the B*%*%*d."""

 

[z3cade]

Gill
Im in the building trade and wondered if i could ask what was the work to be carried out and how much was he asking to do it?
Liam

 

[SeaSurfer]

Yes thats ok, two small approx 1ft damp patches ( one in either bedroom at ceiling height, front and back bedroom about 12ft apart) which show when it is pouring hard and wind blowing in a certain direction - in total, about 3 sq metrs of pointing possibly needed, then he decided the chimney needed dropping in height, but, quote:-

""" he would have to put the pots back on and remove loads of stone in his van !!! and all the materials needed which would be loads, and at a cost of £2600 and thinks it would take him 4 days.""""

The scaffolding is 2 runs and covered just under half of a gable end of a small cottage.

 

[z3cade]

Yes seems a heavy price.. why does the chimney need dropping? it should only need dropping if its in a dangerous state and is unused.
it sounds to me that your mother has a leak around the chimney flashing, ridge tiles or through the tiles somewhere if its only in heavy driving rain etc..
Scafolding isnt cheap if its a scafolding company hes rented from as they charge per week usualy.. a fully scafold gable end can cost around £500-£700 for 4-5 weeks
If hes a decent builder he should have no hesitation in giving your mother a written breakdown in cost...

If hes never given a written quote and your mother has never signed anything stating the work to be carried out he doesnt have a leg to stand on...

edit: reading again i take it the damp patches were on the gable end wall at ceiling hight? and not in the ceiling?
If so then it sounds like the stone work just needs repointing where needed.. and that case hes looking to earn about 2 grand profit in four days.. allowing £500 scafold if rented and yes about £20-£30 materials sand and cement..

 

[Warrior]

If hes never given a written quote and your mother has never signed anything stating the work to be carried out he doesnt have a leg to stand on...

I'm afraid he does. A verbal contract can be as solid as a written one in a court of law.

I think the builder has a claim for time spent and for the cost of the scaffolding for the duration of the planned work. Of course there are mitigating circumstances such as the inflated cost of materials should you ever have to sit before a Judge but.....

Did you cancel after 7 days had passed from acceptance of the quote.

 

[Boysie]

If hes never given a written quote and your mother has never signed anything stating the work to be carried out he doesnt have a leg to stand on...

I'm afraid he does. A verbal contract can be as solid as a written one in a court of law.

I think the builder has a claim for time spent and for the cost of the scaffolding for the duration of the planned work. Of course there are mitigating circumstances such as the inflated cost of materials should you ever have to sit before a Judge but.....

Did you cancel after 7 days had passed from acceptance of the quote.

Hi
I am a General Builder and all of my Clients accept my Estimate/Quote verbaly, never written.
i would expect at least a weeks notice from a client that had cancelled work or put it off to another time.
If I had erected scaffolding with insuffient notice 'I would want the cost of the scaffolding'
I feel the ridiculous cost of this job is overshadowing his rights, he may be a cowboy
But i feel as 'quoted' this was a verbal contract,
You need to make this go away

 

[z3cade]

Well we always give the client a buisness addressed written quote as if any problems arrise with the client not paying up at the end its evidence of the price quoted and agreed Work to be carried out.
Verbal agreements can be risky..
But maybe it looks like you may have to pay for the scafold then Gill if sufficent notice wasnt given :-(

If you decided to have the work done then it mite be worth asking for a breakdown in cost and maybe trying to knock him down abit?