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Original poster

Not able to contact plumber - he has £3000

134 replies

Hello113 · 05/12/2024 14:29

Plumber was meant to start my bathroom this week but I can't reach him. I've been trying for 2.5 weeks. I've WhatsApp, text, email and call - nothing. Phone goes straight to voicemail. As of yesterday my WhatsApp messages are on one tick. He has £3000 of mine which I paid for materials. What to do now???

OP posts:
Mexicansky · 05/12/2024 21:26

Firstly contact your bank and secondly if someone had £3k of my money and I had their address I would be straight round there!

MoleAndBadger · 05/12/2024 21:25

I am sorry. Never pay by bank transfer. Always use a credit or even debit card. You have more rights.

TwinklyAmberOrca · 05/12/2024 21:25

Hello113 · 05/12/2024 19:25

Same as me. I do have his address because it's on the invoice.

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That's good. Look on Google maps to see if it exists and start doing some research and Google the address to see if you can link it to him.

Or just turn up at it?!?!

inmyera · 05/12/2024 21:24

Hello113 · 05/12/2024 19:32

I don't know, how would I be able to find this out?

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honestly give your bank a call if you paid by transfer, when someone suggested I do this for the fencing issue we had, I didn't think anything would come of it but they got our money back by claiming it from their bank.

PassingStranger · 05/12/2024 21:17

Always get a recommendations from happy people.
People are so selfish conning others, I would love to ask them how would they like it done to them?

Shoemadlady · 05/12/2024 20:55

Get a different friend or family member to try and contact him about a potential job, see if he answers and get him round for a quote and be there waiting

anotherday11 · 05/12/2024 20:47

Hello113 · 05/12/2024 19:32

Bank transfer

Show quote history

Call your bank ASAP, they will block the account the money went into so he’ll be screwed if he has any direct debits coming out as his account will be frozen until the situation is resolved.

My friend was in the same position as you except she had paid £1k. After her bank froze his account, he had a Facebook rant about customers trying to ruin his life. A few clients of his posted on his thread - it looked like what he was taking the money from one client and using it to fund buying materials for another’s job and had got away with delaying people by giving them sob stories, but his phone got cut off as he didn’t pay his bill and that was his downfall.

BlueMum16 · 05/12/2024 20:45

If be calling at his house if you have his address.

EatTheBastard · 05/12/2024 20:42

Contact your bank right now OP. When this happened to me, they froze the bank account of the ‘tradesperson’ and I got all the money back

Ottersmith · 05/12/2024 20:32

I know someone going through the small claims court after their builder disappeared. I think give him up and look into how you can report him / claim the money back, then find a new plumber if you can afford it to get the work done.

Bananamanlovesyou · 05/12/2024 20:21

Contact him from a different number and arrange a visit for a quote at a friends address…

Original poster
Hello113 · 05/12/2024 20:18

somuchtodonextyear · 05/12/2024 20:11

Not much help I know but what was the point in using a recommendation from a friend if they hadn't even got to the point of the chap completing work for them either?

She didn't tell me she still needed something fixing by him.

OP posts:
somuchtodonextyear · 05/12/2024 20:11

Not much help I know but what was the point in using a recommendation from a friend if they hadn't even got to the point of the chap completing work for them either?

Dotto · 05/12/2024 20:07

Send a message to say you're initiating small claims court proceedings via Money Claim if your funds are not returned within 48 hours.

Spinosaurus1 · 05/12/2024 20:06

OP you need to use a website to look for the company name and registered address. Was the bank transfer to a personal or business account? Even a quick google with the name and address on the invoice should pull this up, for registered businesses.

Im hoping it was a business account you transferred too and not a personal (when you do a bank transfer you have to select which option). As this should be able to recover easier if this is a scam.

www.gov.uk/get-information-about-a-company

Tryingtokeepgoing · 05/12/2024 19:47

Goody2ShoesAndTheFilthyBeast · 05/12/2024 16:49

Hope you get your money back.

Thinking about it, I'm surprised there's no service that acts as a holding account for want of a better term.
people can pay the quoted amount into the holding account and the funds are released to the tradesperson to a schedule or materils bought from the holding account and delivered to the customer and the final amount is only given to the tradesperson when the job has been finished

holding account people get a fee of course but it's worth it for security all round
Seems like a win/win.
Customer knows the tradespeople can't vanish with all their money, tradespeople knows customer can't refuse to pay once the jobs finished, both parties know someone who refuses to use the scheme is a bit dodgy.

There is…. A company I used to have an en-suite refitted in a property I bought in an area I had no connections used this:

https://protectmyinstall.co.uk

Its easy if you’ve been in an area a while, and have network of tradespeople, but otherwise there’s risk both ways and some from of ‘escrow’ service is a good solution I think.

In France it’s normal (at least in my experience) to pay 25%/30% of a deposit on booking the work, balance on completion. But the rules on ‘bouncing’ a cheque in France are tough - it’s a criminal offence. And, I suspect, not paying on time is (a) far less acceptable and (b) fare more easily remedied

Home | Protect My Install - Protect My Install

https://protectmyinstall.co.uk

ElsieMc · 05/12/2024 19:47

Sorry for you op. I had quotes for a new heating system. I had someone booked, had his terms and conditions when he last minute asked me for 50% up front. I felt very pressured and checked the paperwork. It was not in there.
He then chased me up and I said I would not have booked him had I known. He then denied he even asked for it. I responded it was on my phone.
I couldnt trust him after that op. But it can be so easy to comply whilst feeling uneasy. Hope you get it resolved.

coffeesaveslives · 05/12/2024 19:39

Hello113 · 05/12/2024 19:32

I don't know, how would I be able to find this out?

Show quote history

Have you googled him and done any research? Looked up his trading name or address online? Looked at his reviews etc?

Original poster
Hello113 · 05/12/2024 19:32

coffeesaveslives · 05/12/2024 19:26

Are you sure it's a legit invoice and address?

Show quote history

I don't know, how would I be able to find this out?

OP posts:
Original poster
Hello113 · 05/12/2024 19:32

Jagoda · 05/12/2024 19:31

How did you pay him? This is relevant.

Where were the materials delivered?

Bank transfer

OP posts:
Jagoda · 05/12/2024 19:31

How did you pay him? This is relevant.

Where were the materials delivered?

Stormyweatheroutthere · 05/12/2024 19:28

Sounds like 3k down the drain.....
Checkatrader isn't legit imo. My ex is a joiner.. On there as a mechanic... He really isn't...

coffeesaveslives · 05/12/2024 19:26

Hello113 · 05/12/2024 19:25

Same as me. I do have his address because it's on the invoice.

Show quote history

Are you sure it's a legit invoice and address?

Original poster
Hello113 · 05/12/2024 19:25

TwinklyAmberOrca · 05/12/2024 19:22

And what contact details does this friend have other than a phone number?

Find another friend and try phoning his mobile from a completely different number.

Show quote history

Sorry same as me as in phone number email and home address

OP posts:
Original poster
Hello113 · 05/12/2024 19:25

TwinklyAmberOrca · 05/12/2024 19:22

And what contact details does this friend have other than a phone number?

Find another friend and try phoning his mobile from a completely different number.

Show quote history

Same as me. I do have his address because it's on the invoice.

OP posts: