Advice needed on small claims court.

[littlejo67]

Hi,
Would really appreciate some advice.
I have just had a patio laid and the work is terrible. Slabs not been stuck down with adhesive and loads loose and falling away. Render falling off retaining walls. Patio not straight as both levels different angles.
So he is offering to patch up the holes and make good. Some grout is 2cms thick and other bits a few mls. He has put in drains all wrong.

Blaming me for asking him not to use adhesive, total lie. Also that the slabs were cheap, when I got them from the place he asked. There are so many issues and he always says it's not his fault it's because....etc.

States he won't have an independent assessor to look at his work as they will be biased against him.

I want to take him to the small claims court but he says that my claim would be thrown out as by law he has to fix it.

I have tried to find info online but cant find any. I don't want someone who is a proven liar and really bad at the job to re do it badly.
I paid 10,000 and other quotes to fix come in at 8,500.
Would really appreciate some guidance from anyone in the know.
I took out a loan for this and now have no money to fix unless he pays me back. Which he won't do as he wants to fix. So disappointed ☹️

Get a local qualified landscaper with an excellent reputation to look at the work and give his opinion. [Get his verdict in writing too with headed notepaper...and take photos galore]. If you can, definitely take him with you to the small claims court. He will probably charge you for this though.

If his evidence is damning enough and the work is so shoddy it would probably be judged as being reasonable for you not to want the original worker to put the work right...and your working relationship/contract has broken down.

I had an issue with my car catching fire after a car service. I won the case against the garage because the judge had some idea about mechanics....I should have taken a mechanic with me but I wasn't informed properly. I was just lucky.

Thank you beachcomber. Good advice.

Has this happened to anyone else?

Small Claims are for claims up to £10,000. You need to get a written quote to correct the work. Take lots of pictures. It’s all done online.
Phone Citizens Advice they will help you.