Getting builders to solve a problem that have already paid once to fix?

[Ladycurd]

Last year we paid £1k as part of other building works to have repair our leaking roof. They did the work but unfortunately roof still leaks. (They added lead cover strips over original lead flashings) they might as well have done nothing at all as it made no difference. In fact the problem has got worse and we now have water staining on our ceilings. The scaffolding is long gone and they are now saying it would be near another grand to replace the original lead flashing and they plan on doing this with a ladder and not scaffolding (I think scaffolding is needed its a big job).

Just wondering what my consumer rights are? Sale of goods and services act? They provided a service that failed to repair the problem they said it would, annoyed at paying out again, if anything we should only pay cost of materials, labour and scaffolding costs should be met by them as this work clearly should have been done when they first did the work.

Any advice please before I go back to them!

Could you try CAB or trading standards?

www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/action/how-to-complain-if-youre-unhappy-with-the-building-work-

www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/consumer_e/consumer_builders_and_home_improvements_e/consumer_problems_with_poor_quality_work_e.htm

Did you get anything in writing?

Yes I have the invoice from the work done but it says specifically to fit cover strips to 3 sides of roof and repair another side when I know they did all 4sides. Don't have anything in writing relating to repair leaks and they did the covers trips but it was insufficient.

Problem with a leaky roof is that the repairs they did last year might be sound enough, but the roof could be leaking for another reason...and you are in their hands on that! Could you ask another roofer to have a look, and give you a written price to look at, and fix the problem? You may have to pay them for doing this properly.

If the new roofer recommends the same work, then you could use this to go back to the original roofer and invite them to rectify the work for free, as you now have some evidence that the original work was defective.

The problem is that builders will seldom give anything other than their best opinion that A,B or C may be the cause of the problem. It's like fixing a rattle in your car. They've done the work you asked them to do. Maybe you should get a surveyors report if you want someone to guarantee an identification of the problem, but I doubt that anyone will want to assume financial responsibility for their best guess being wrong.