To withhold rest of money from builder

[Hairydogmummy]

Our extension was finished a year and a half ago just before Xmas. There were a couple of snags but we were happy to leave until after Xmas. They've never got done though. We've had a friendly relationship with him over the last 18 months as he did another extension on our road and we didn't really hassle him about it. Each time we saw him he promised he'd do it. I realised in May tho that we hadn't had the buildings completion cert from the council. I then got the inspector round myself who said was all okay but needed the gas and electricity certificates for the work done on those. I contacted the builder and he said would sort it over half term but didn't show up. I've contacted him again recently and he's now not replying. I have contact details for plumber but not electrician who were both subcontractors so have contacted plumber but also no reply. We withheld £1000 of the builders fee originally as the snags weren't done so would BU to say to builder I'm keeping that money to do snags and pay other contractors to certify the gas and electricity work?

Sounds fair to me, do it!

Has the builder actually asked for the money? Of course he needs to complete the job to get payment.

Sounds fine to me.

i would agree with you on that.

I would suggest that you send an email notifying that unless the snags are completed within 14 days and certificates provided they are forfeiting that money so you have evidence that a) the work hasn't been finished b) that they are aware this is a condition of payment and cannot claim that you have refused to pay for finished work.

I’ve done it before when I wasn’t happy with a job.

They want me to pay for the job they agreed to do then they can do that job properly, they choose not to so no pay 🤷🏻‍♀️

That's a good idea @floodypuddle I think I'll do that. I wanted to keep it friendly but I guess I can't now!

@BlackCatSleeping no he hasn't. He just said we can sort it out after he's done the snags. I reckon he's just got bigger jobs on and isn't bothered about our £1000!