Scaffolder disappeared - who owns the scaffolding?

[TopOfTheCliff]

I am trying to work out what to do.
Last December we had scaffolding put up for a month and paid in full. In January we asked them to leave it a week or two while we painted the chimney. In February we rang to ask them to take it away but they had stopped trading. We heard nothing further and were considering asking another firm to remove the scaffolding. This week the original bloke popped up trading under a new name and is asking for £600 for our use of his scaffolding. He says we had a contract with him outlining the charges. Can he enforce this? The old company no longer exists. We just want to get rid of the scaffolding at no extra cost bar the few weeks in January.

[FenellaFellorick]

I'd talk to a solicitor. Do you think he's closed the business maybe because of debts or something?

I wouldn't pay him. I'd tell him you're charging him storage for all the time he left his scaffolding at your house! See how he likes that bugger!

[swampster]

Cheeky bugger! Bill him for storing his scaffolding for him.

[swampster]

Crosspost!