Page 6 | Not able to contact plumber - he has £3000

Hello113 · 2024-12-05T14:29:45+00:00

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???

Zinglenibber · 13/01/2025 20:20

Hello113 · 13/01/2025 20:04

No I paid via bank transfer. I have an invoice and a receipt.

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My mother was scammed and had paid by bank transfer. She phoned her bank and someone in a fraud team had her money refunded quite quickly.

Original poster

Hello113 · 13/01/2025 20:21

BlueSky2024 · 13/01/2025 13:19

Can you and your partner ( or someone else) go to his address?….. don’t go alone

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Yeah, that's the next thing I'm going to do

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TheHateIsNotGood · 13/01/2025 20:35

I agree with visiting the address, but, he could actually genuinely be ill and can't really do much and has turned all of his work 'communications' off. The fact that the supplier offered this information makes it seem more genuine to me. So, don't go in 'guns blazing'.

If he is genuinely long-term ill, then play nice and ask for his 'plans' and a recommendation for someone who could do the job based on them, retaining the supplies you have paid for. Maybe consider losing £50+ on this transaction as 'goodwill'. It will keep you in good stead with the other plumbers that use the same local supplier.

Think of the supplier as a 'venue' where all the local plumbers meet up and have a bloody good gossip about their jobs/customers and other plumbers.

Original poster

Hello113 · 13/01/2025 21:12

TheHateIsNotGood · 13/01/2025 20:35

I agree with visiting the address, but, he could actually genuinely be ill and can't really do much and has turned all of his work 'communications' off. The fact that the supplier offered this information makes it seem more genuine to me. So, don't go in 'guns blazing'.

If he is genuinely long-term ill, then play nice and ask for his 'plans' and a recommendation for someone who could do the job based on them, retaining the supplies you have paid for. Maybe consider losing £50+ on this transaction as 'goodwill'. It will keep you in good stead with the other plumbers that use the same local supplier.

Think of the supplier as a 'venue' where all the local plumbers meet up and have a bloody good gossip about their jobs/customers and other plumbers.

No I wouldn't go in guns blazing and I understand he's ill but I'm still 3 grand down. I'll have a civilised conversation with him but it's not fair to keep people in the lurch like this with absolutely zero communication.

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Modernfamily2011 · 13/01/2025 21:22

Hello113 · 13/01/2025 20:06

I'm so sorry to hear you are going through something similar. It's awful. I hope you get your money back. I don't know how people sleep at night who do things like this. It's been such a stressful process already and I'm no closer to getting my money back.

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Thank you and I hope the same for you too….. unfortunately this whole process has taken over a year and unless the bailiffs are successful then i’m not sure what else we can do and I bet he knows that
Some people are just rotten to the core!
we have invoices and also paid via bank transfer, when I called the bank, they refused to help! I hope you get your money back, please keep us updated 🤞🤞

TheHateIsNotGood · 13/01/2025 22:13

@Hello113 I completely agree with you, but when you're a self-employed sole trader and very ill the reality is there's not much you can do. A huge pita for you but people get sick and you just need to get your money back and get your job done.

Original poster

Hello113 · 14/01/2025 05:21

TheHateIsNotGood · 13/01/2025 22:13

@Hello113 I completely agree with you, but when you're a self-employed sole trader and very ill the reality is there's not much you can do. A huge pita for you but people get sick and you just need to get your money back and get your job done.

He has been in touch with the bathroom supplier and he has family who have been in touch with other customers. He can use a phone.

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PotaytoPotahhto · 14/01/2025 07:07

I’m sceptical about him being unwell. I’ve had a couple family members scammed and both times the builder was ill or had a broken leg. Really, they were scammers.

Original poster

Hello113 · 25/01/2025 14:55

TheHateIsNotGood · 13/01/2025 20:35

I agree with visiting the address, but, he could actually genuinely be ill and can't really do much and has turned all of his work 'communications' off. The fact that the supplier offered this information makes it seem more genuine to me. So, don't go in 'guns blazing'.

If he is genuinely long-term ill, then play nice and ask for his 'plans' and a recommendation for someone who could do the job based on them, retaining the supplies you have paid for. Maybe consider losing £50+ on this transaction as 'goodwill'. It will keep you in good stead with the other plumbers that use the same local supplier.

Think of the supplier as a 'venue' where all the local plumbers meet up and have a bloody good gossip about their jobs/customers and other plumbers.

There's no chance I'm giving him 50 quid why should I!!?

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