To give negative feedback to a bully cowboy builder whose threatening me

[dw4518]

I'm in need of some advice please.

I hired someone off Mybuilder website with 100% feedback to do some work in my house and he did a terrible job. I told him I was unhappy and wish I'd never mentioned it because now he is threatening me for all sorts of things!

He says he'll sue me in court for defamation if I dare to give him feedback.

He's also accused me of blackmail and fraud and identity theft (for using a nickname on the website instead of my real name). Basically he's a nutcase and I'm not sure what else he's capable of.

He also knows my address and I'm afraid he'll vandalise my house / smash my windows and keep doing it because the police won't be able to do anything.

I think his 100% feedback is from him bullying all his customers into not giving bad feedback. I think it's so WRONG and I'm just itching to stand up against him.

But he knows where I live and is crazy enough to threaten court action etc who knows what else he will do?

Should I be brave and give the feedback (simply that I'm not satisfied with his work) or am I being stupid to pick a fight with someone like him?

I don't think he sounds crazy and if he thinks you're acting unfairly then threatening court is the most sensible course of action.

When you say things like "I think his 100% feedback is from him bullying all his customers into not giving bad feedback." and "crazy enough to threaten court action etc who knows what else he will do?" you don't sound entirely sensible and the former could be libellous if not anonymous.

Sometimes the cowardly option is the balanced and sensible one and whilst some of the things you've said are dubious, I think I'd probably walk away as I get the impression there's more to this than you're letting on.

don't go there op, don't upset yourself. put it in experience box, you already don't want your money back. at least we know now that website is not somewhere to trust, thanks for that help.

moreDetails, I get where you're coming from. Just to explain why I think he's unreasonable - customers should be allowed to give honest feedback without the threat of court action. Now I understand if I were to call him a thief/thug then it would be libel, but before I even posted anything he told me not to leave feedback as it would definitely land me in court.

His accusations of fraud and blackmail are also unjustified.

All this leads me to think he is an unreasonable person, and if he genuinely believes I'm at fault, wouldn't he be angry enough to want to get revenge?

bluebell34567, not all the tradesmen from Mybuilder are bad. I've used it for 7 years and everyone else has been really good.

"His accusations of fraud and blackmail are also unjustified"

Maybe. Comments you've made here could be illegal if made to him or about him to others.

"customers should be allowed to give honest feedback without the threat of court action"

Yes and no. It's a slightly cyclical argument as it comes down to the court to decide what is honest / reasonable. Suggestions that previous feedback is because of his threats can and should land you in legal strife.

"if he genuinely believes I'm at fault, wouldn't he be angry enough to want to get revenge?"

No. I have dealt (professionally) with 4 people today who were 'at fault' but the idea of revenge didn't pass through my mind. The closest I've got to with job-related revenge was to ensure someone's name was unofficially mud in the industry. Bricks through the window isn't a normal response.

Having said all that, for a quiet life, I think I'd shut up and put up.