Dispute with tradesman.. anyone done that?

[Mudball]

I am just about to fire off a letter to my builder for not finishing his job. Most of the work done nearly 15 months ago. One set of sockets not lit up yet, which means the Part B electric certificate not done which mean building certificate not done.

Frequent chasing is followed by usual promises and no shows. I have had enough. So about to send off a letter to him to say we give him final 14 days to fix else see you in court. I am assuming this will be the small claims court.

No one wanted it that way, but i m at the end of the rope here. Anyone gone down this route. How easy/difficut is it.. things to watch out?

 

[DCB]

Did you employ an Architect to do the design and to oversee the works ? If so, can they not assist ?

 

[Mudball]

Did you employ an Architect to do the design and to oversee the works ? If so, can they not assist ?

The architect did the plans, but we went directly to the builder (who was recommended by the Architect). So Architect was not involved in overseeing it. The Builder brought the sparky who put the cables in but has been AWOL for the past year according to the Builder. New bathrooms, boiler etc was put in by the builder's company and the fuse box had to be changed due to that.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I did once go to Trading Standards with a complaint in respect of a builder and they would have pursued it if I had felt so inclined. In the end all I did was leave details of the builder with TS so they could watch out for further complaints raised against him.

 

[hors limite]

Has your chasing been by phone/ mail or face to face. I'm not advocating any kind of confrontation but sometimes if you turn up it has a lot more weight.(this worked for me once) If you do see him and don't feel as though you are getting anywhere you can still give him the ultimatum. I know it's pretty obvious but if you do see him in person, give him a clear brief summary of why you aren't happy. Don't bang on about the past 15 months. Give him a chance to commit to sorting it out and don't get angry.Best of luck.

 

[Tashyboy]

We had a builder do an extension 10 plus years ago. A time scale was in place for brickwork, electrics, plumbing, and final fittings re Kitchen units etc which were to be fitted by my brother. It went tits up pretty soon after the builder started as he kept disappearing about 1.00 pm everyday ( to put his bets on as it turned out).
Getting behind on the job went from days to weeks. The plumber was a nightmare, but the electrician was brilliant. It was the electrician who told me that quiet frankly the plumber who was being subcontracted by the builder was taking the Mickey. It all came to a head one day when my brother turned up one day when the builder was there and laid into him bigstyle. In essence bro had put a week to one side to fit the kitchen and the walls had not even been plastered.
Your said builder is taking the urine, he has had other jobs for the last year or so and put you on the back burner. Tell him how it is. He don't give a toss about you so vica versa

 

[Linksguru]

I am just about to fire off a letter to my builder for not finishing his job. Most of the work done nearly 15 months ago. One set of sockets not lit up yet, which means the Part B electric certificate not done which mean building certificate not done.

Just to enlighten you, it’s not part B electrical certificate. It will be part P and the certificate for it will depend if its an addition to an existing house or a completely new build.
Make sure you know EXACTLY what your talking about before taking it further.
im an electrician and i had a customer try and take me to court ... i turned him inside out and made him look a bit stupid, wouldn’t want you to suffer the same fate.

 

[Mudball]

Has your chasing been by phone/ mail or face to face. I'm not advocating any kind of confrontation but sometimes if you turn up it has a lot more weight.(this worked for me once) If you do see him and don't feel as though you are getting anywhere you can still give him the ultimatum. I know it's pretty obvious but if you do see him in person, give him a clear brief summary of why you aren't happy. Don't bang on about the past 15 months. Give him a chance to commit to sorting it out and don't get angry.Best of luck.

phone/mail/text messages. I always get promised but then stood up. i know where he lives but given that he is a washed up old boxer, I am not sure i want get into a ring with him.
I have the letter ready to go and just received a message that they have arranged for someone to come out this week. So it is last chance for him.. will keep posted

 

[Fish]

phone/mail/text messages. I always get promised but then stood up. i know where he lives but given that he is a washed up old boxer, I am not sure i want get into a ring with him.
I have the letter ready to go and just received a message that they have arranged for someone to come out this week. So it is last chance for him.. will keep posted

The letter needs to be sent recorded delivery..