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Need help over a cowboy builder

5 replies

cowboybuilder · 01/05/2014 11:13

This may get long, so I apologise in advance and I'll try to include everything to save drip feeding.

My parents live backing onto a railway line and when it was originally put in they raised the land to keep the line level, so my parents house is set quite high. When they moved in they had a rubbish drive and decided about 18 months ago to get someone in to do something with it. It was bricked up around the edges levelled and tarmacked. Took the guy ages to do as he'd go away and leave it. Looked quite nice but then they started to get bit of an earthquake appearing around the highest edge and the wall at that point began bowing out.

Eventually he came back out and fobbed them off and eventually he put some concrete posts in from the pavement to support the wall. It hasn't improved things, it is still moving.

My parents have asked him several times to come and fix it with no joy. He's even told them that he's become a Christian and going to church Hmm like it excuses him or something.

They approached Trading Standards and were told to do whatever the process was which they did. He sent the letter back he was sent unopened and because of that TS won't handle the case because they said he obviously knows the system Hmm

They've even approached Dom and the team but Mum is finding it too upsetting to reply to them at the moment. She's just called me from the bank in floods of tears (which isn't like her at all) asking me to find some help from somewhere (here I am!) The bank are being really helpful and been on to her insurance company who can't help because she doesn't have the cover she would need. The bank need it sorting ASAP.

They don't know where to turn. They have four children living with them, two are disabled (one with CP and the other with HMS and ASD), and they're scared that the house will fall.

OP posts:
cowboybuilder · 03/05/2014 17:30

Bump - anyone?

OP posts:
cowboybuilder · 06/05/2014 18:37

Might be clutching at straws to bump again but thought I'd try it.

OP posts:
EffectiveCommunication · 06/05/2014 18:42

What is Dom going to do? Confused Did TS said you could go to the small claims court?

Armadale · 06/05/2014 18:49

Hi, no legal advice but worried that they fear the house will fall down...it is hard to tell from the OP, is the wall that is bowing out the brickwork built to contain the driveway or an actual house wall? If the latter you really need a surveyor or preferably a structural engineer to have a look asap. A local estate agent could probably recommend one, if you don't know of any. Also the local council will have a duty surveyor who can come out an inspect to check the building is safe if you have genuine concerns in that regard.

If your parents have a mortgage then there might be cover for this as part of the mortgage (bank protecting their asset, iyswim).

As for TS not helping, I would suggest they find out when their local MP next has a surgery, attend that and ask the MP to chase up TS for them.

cowboybuilder · 06/05/2014 21:38

EffectiveCommunication - the Channel 5 show that Dom Littlewood does. TS have washed their hands of it because they said he's obviously done it before and knows the system...

The wall contains the driveway, which is almost as tall as me (5'9") and they're worried that if the ground in front of the house goes what will be holding up the house. It's not natural ground as it's from the train track being built up so it's probably not as strong as it would be.

The bank weren't able to help but said that they need it sorting, they did try talking to her insurance company for help but they haven't got the right cover with them. I'll suggest they talk to an estate agent. They know the local MP well for issues regarding the children so I'll suggest they get in touch with them too.

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