My 91 year old aunt (who, although still living on her own, I look after regularly) wanted some work done to a sort of covered side area of her house. All she needed doing was the old corrugated plastic taking off and some new stuff putting on as the orginal roof was 30 years old and leaking. I offered to get someone in to give her a quote, as I've used a few builders/joiners recently, but she said "it's ok, the bloke down the road said he'll do it for me, he's a nice chap and he's only going to charge me £300 plus he said he'll fix my back door too as the wood is rotten" So, I let her get on with it.
To cut a long story short, 6 weeks after he began and did just half the job, he still hasn't been back to do the rest. He asked her to pay in full before beginning the work, which sadly she did because he told her he didn't have the money to buy the bits needed to do the job.
She has seen him on the front path a couple of times (he only lives 4 doors down) and asked when he's coming back to finish and he keeps making all the excuses under the sun ...."my sister has come to stay and she's not well. . . I'm off on holiday for the next few weeks . . . I'm really busy right now" and so on but then says " I haven't forgotten about you luv, don't worry, I'll be back"
I went to call at his house tonight and he wasn't home so I said to his son will you please ask your dad to go to my aunt's house to finish the job he started AND has been paid in full for. His son said "he's been at the hospital today as my mum isn't well" okay I thought, fair enough that's today, but still I am really saddened that a neighbour can rip off a 91 year old and have zero conscience about doing so.
How long should I let it go before I ask him to pay her back at least half the money? I'm not going to be all demanding about it as I don't like confrontation but I checked online and the products he bought cost him at the absolute max, £100, so he's £200 in profit. I think he's taking the piss big time.