Not paying painter due to carpet stains?

[Reasonswhy]

Starting off with - I’m the most under confident person in the world so any form of potential confrontation feels so hard for me, appreciate I may be making a mountain out of a molehill.
Had a painter out this week to paint 2 rooms. He said on Monday he woolr
get it done that day, but has taken 3 days as said he had other jobs chasing him and his apprentice off sick - fine, no big deal. He finished today while I was out, and I’ve come home to an ok job but it’s patchy still in places and the carpet in one room has a lot of paint on the carpet 😢I’ve attached pics of the smaller areas - for some reason the larger patches pics have been flagged as sensitive😂The areas are damp and slightly white so he’s clearly already put something on it to soak it up which isn’t worked.
I summoned up the courage to call him and he sounded defensive from the off, said he was coming back to finish the darker blue room which had been a “nightmare” as such a dark colour. I told him about the carpet and he said oh is just a dribble? And I said no, there are lots of areas and given they are damp I’m guessing you knew about it and put something down- I just need to know how to get the paint off. He said he’ll sort it over the coming days and rang off.
What do I do? He left an invoice for £680 including materials asking politely for it to be paid within 48 hours. I don’t want to pay it in case he doesn’t come back to fix it, and I don’t think the paint will come easily unless he has a magic solution. WWYD? Do I deduct something from the amount to cover carpet cleaning? If so what would be reasonable? Or will this cause a confrontation?

ugh. TIA

Why wasn't the carpeting covered up? 🙈😮

That's what I want to know too!

I would simply ignore the invoice until he comes back to you. If he chases then say you will pay once the damage is sorted.

It was, Monday and Tuesday it had his painting sheets covering the floor but I’m guessing today he moved it too soon? 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️no idea!

Exactly. I never pay until the job is completed to my satisfaction because otherwise they disappear into the ether without an incentive to come back and fix everything.

Get a price to get the carpet cleaned. He can either then pay that or knock it off your invoice. If he doesn't (but if he's any sort of reputable tradesman he should) then you have to decide how to take it further

I feel for you 😔 I'd want some kind of remedy from him.

I’d be really pissed off. That’s a light carpet and I doubt the stain will come out. Give him another opportunity to fix it and get a quote for new carpet…. Use that in your negotiation.

I'd be telling him that it now needs a professional carpet clean and that you will pay him when that's been done and you know if the carpet is OK.

If you have to pay for the clean deduct it from his invoice.

He's been careless and he knows it.

That happened to me a couple of years ago. Brand new carpet in a new build and he got dark green and teal paint on it in 2 rooms. We were livid and chucked him off the job as it was bigger than just those 2 rooms. He also messed up our new wallpaper. We paid him for the few days work minus the wallpaper cost.

Agree with pps
First just ignore invoice until he comes back to fix it
If he manages to get the stain out then pay in full
If he can't then say you'll need to get a quote to get the carpet fixed and you'll pay him whatever is left after that.
Ask someone to be with you if you're afraid he'll kick off

The absolute joke that is a (apparently) professional painter saying the colour of the paint makes a job "a nightmare"
Does he normally only paint white or something? A painter who struggles with colours 😁
If anything a dark colour is easier because you don't need as many coats to cover up the previous colour. Painting a dark blue wall white would be much harder.

When we had our lounge decorated, the decorator insisted on covering the whole carpet with that sticky back floor protector stuff, even though I told him the carpet was very old and would definitely be replaced. He said he didn’t want to risk it just in case, not a drop of paint got spilled on that old carpet. Your guy was sloppy, made a big mess and has tried to deflect the fault back on to you by saying the colour was a nightmare, which he presumably knew when he took the job on. He has obviously tried and failed to clean it.
I would wait until he chases, get a quote for a new carpet in the meantime, and tell him you won’t be paying as you need to replace the carpet.

That’s absolutely careless and ridiculous of him. He needs to pay to get the Carpet back to its previous condition. He should have insurance for this.

I painted rooms for the 1st time this year, and before you get a brush out you put dust sheets everywhere. It’s absolutely basic. Looks like he was rushing.

Not your fault

It does not matter which colour you chose, he should have done a good job. The fact its not just one place shows he was careless and tried to get away with it. Dont pay until the carpet has been professionally cleaned, and let him know why. Tell him you are going to do that to try and save it.

Most professional painters use dust sheets. He should pay for cleaning.

I will pay you the minute i have dry carpets without paint stains on them and my blue wall is finished to my satisfaction.

The second he has done this you should pay him.

Anything else is unprofessional by him.

Is this your first invoice from him or have you already paid some money and this is a final invoice?

If first, I would pay maybe 2/3 of it, as he is out of pocket and has worked, but retain £200-250 until it is completed to your satisfaction and clean.

If he can’t clean it, use the retainer to get someone out who can.

@Reasonswhy sorry, this guy is totally unprofessional but charging top whack. What a nerve to invoice before the job's completed and having caused damage which no reputable experienced decorator would do.
You're going to have to woman up.
Refuse to pay until the job is completed to a decent standard and the carpets ate restored to their previous condition. Give him the chance to rectify first.
If he finishes the job but doesn't sort the carpets, get a professional in and deduct the cost from the invoice.
He can sue if he's got the nerve but you have the evidence.

Don’t pay a penny until the job is finished or you will never see him again. Hold something by back until you have had the carpets cleaned and see if it comes off, if it does just knock the cost of the cleaning off his invoice.

Do not pay until carpet put back as it was, and paint job finished properly. DO not deviate, do not listen to anything he suggests which isn't this!

Bloody hell that's some 'dribble'

I echo PPs - get a quote for a carpet clean and tell him you'll be deducting that from his invoice.

If see if the paint is still patchy tomorrow - sometimes it just needs to dry.

DO NOT pay this invoice until your carpet has been professionally cleaned and if that doesn't work then he needs to replace it on his company insurance.

My fear is leaving it will make it almost impossible to get put if its oil based. Which I assume it is as it looks like there's some washing up liquid in the carpet.
I'm assuming it'll cost more than the £600 to replace the carpet, so I think you should give it a go yourself.
Put neat washing liquid on the carpet, work it in, scrub, and continue until its out and the bubbles are gone. It's an absolute mare, but could come out if you get to it fairly quickly.

I'd then want a processional clean anyway cos it'll be hard to get all of the detergent residue out,

Definitely do not pay a penny until the job is finished. People saying carpet cleaner but I’d be surprised if paint comes out?

If it was a DIY jobby I’d say just put a piece of furniture over the top but that’s because that would be saving you £600+

He should have told you first about the carpet, let you know the plan and asked for the invoice to be paid after it was all completed. This guy is a cowboy. Beware.