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Original poster

I have been scammed advice please

95 replies

coco2303 · 06/05/2016 20:21

Hi I hired gardeners in February to pave an area of my garden and turd the rest. I had been saving up for ages my house is council and the last tenants destroyed the garden so I can't let my children out there to play.
Anyway I advertises for a gardener and someone I know recommended her partners dad and grandad.
They charged £1300 (which was about the same as other quotes I received). So I went with them as I always thought it is good to give work to people you know etc.
Anyway because I trusted them I gave them all of the money so they could buy the materials they needed and get the job done.
We are now in may they have paved the part of the garden I needed paved but I now cannot get in touch with them to finish the job.
For me to get it turfed it will be £800 and I really can't afford another £800.
I have a receipt can I go through a small claims? And would they even find them they literally will mot answer the phone to me after months of trying to contact them.
Now I know people will say not to pay all upfront and hindsight is a great thing.
I just really need to know if there is anything I can do to atleast get some of the money back so I can pay someone else to finish the job xx

OP posts:
Roussette · 07/05/2016 07:57

Sorry to hear you are going through this.

Surely... if it's someone you know (acquaintance/friend?) and it's their FIL and his Dad you could apply some pressure to her. You said you went with them because you know the person concerned, she was happy to pass on the details of her FIL to do the work, surely she bears some responsibility? She must know where her FIL lives for instance.

WorriedMutha · 07/05/2016 08:33

I would be inclined to lean very heavily on your friend as this is essentially her FIL who has shafted you. I would be mortified if a member of my family had let down one of my friend's in such a shabby manner.
Also noting that a director applied to dissolve the company in January and yet you were quoted for work in February. Surely this would be trading whilst insolvent and doesn't that mean that a director should incur personal liability?
For £800 it may not be practical to engage legally and I would be bending the ear of your friend who seems to be a bit casual about her role.

Original poster
coco2303 · 07/05/2016 09:25

Thank you so much for your advice. I can't say I haven't cried I am absolutely gutted. That's alot of money for me to someone to just come and take but I guess I need to not be so trusting.
I will still go to citizens advice you never know eh.
And I will also go to the police and see if they can help.
Thank you for taking the time out to advise me xx

OP posts:
Roussette · 07/05/2016 09:28

But what about your friend?

LIZS · 07/05/2016 09:28

If there have been other complaints, especially if they took money knowing they wouldn't finish the job, or have just closed one company and set up another, TS/police can prosecute. Keep any correspondence - texts etc - and the receipts.

Original poster
coco2303 · 07/05/2016 09:40

Wordgetsaround I did chuckle when I saw the typo aswell haha.

My friend only knows where one of them lives and she has said I need to do what I need to do as she can't believe they have done this either. There's not alot she can actually do.
I literally just phoned the police station for advice and they said there is nothing they could do and to get free legal advise from CAB.
They did say if it is in administration there will be an administrator and I have a little hope.
But if they dissolved it themselves I am screwed. Which I believe is the case but you still have to hope xx

OP posts:
Roussette · 07/05/2016 09:48

Could your friend's DP speak to his father? It's appalling that close family members of theirs have fucked you over and they should be moving heaven and earth to help you, not shrugging their shoulders about it all.

MarthaCliffYouCunt · 07/05/2016 09:53

Get the address of your friend and send a load of big men round. Police and courts cant help you, send in the heavies.

Floggingmolly · 07/05/2016 09:59

It's your friend's partner's Dad and Grandad! Of course she bloody well knows where they live Hmm

Original poster
coco2303 · 07/05/2016 10:03

Don't get me wrong the wanting to go and confront them myself is nearly too much. I am even considering getting someone else to phone them for a quote then ambush them.
BUT my sensible side tells me if it doesn't go well they know where I live which if it was just me wouldn't bother me but I have my 1 and 2 year old at home.

OP posts:
Original poster
coco2303 · 07/05/2016 10:05

And I don't even know what kind of family they are to do this to people. They call themselves fathers and grandfather's yet do this to a young family.
They knew how hard I had worked and saved to get my garden done. Literally majority of my wages after returning to work, my girls birthday and Christmas money. Any money I got for Christmas and my birthday and they have just gone and taken it.
I have taken it quite personally to be honest

OP posts:
KimmySchmidtsSmile · 07/05/2016 10:12

Please go to trading standards if they were trading while insolvent. I am so sorry for you. I would be taking it personally too.

SouthWestmom · 07/05/2016 10:13

Is it in S on T?

Original poster
coco2303 · 07/05/2016 10:16

I will take it everywhere I possibly can I really hope they don't do this to anyone else it is so upsetting.
£1300 is alot of money to take from someone. They paved some of the garden which would of been no more than £300 including labour costs and they have just done a runner with the rest.
I had a little break down on my best friend who is coming around today to help me try and make my garden usable but it may be another year without a usable garden Angry

OP posts:
Original poster
coco2303 · 07/05/2016 10:17

Noeuf so sorry I don't understand your question xx

OP posts:
caroldecker · 07/05/2016 10:21

If the company was dissolved, then it was declared solvent by the directors, insolvent companies go into administration.
You can also complain to companies house, won't get your money back but would cause them some hassle.

Original poster
coco2303 · 07/05/2016 10:25

I will definitely try and cause them as much hassle as I possibly can. Even if I don't get my money back they can't go around doing this to people.
And if they do it this close to home to people their family members know it shows they have no conscience or morals and would do it to anyone. Families, the old and disabled and anyone they can get money from which is not on.
We all struggle that doesn't mean we just take from people xx

OP posts:
WhiffyBiffer · 07/05/2016 10:27

I'm really sorry because this sounds awful, but is anyone else ROFL at 'turd' the rest of the garden in the OP? Nope? Just me then...

Original poster
coco2303 · 07/05/2016 10:29

Haha I realised my typo after I posted it but atleast it brings a little light into the situation haha

OP posts:
Original poster
coco2303 · 07/05/2016 10:41

Might be a case for judge render if all else fails

OP posts:
SouthWestmom · 07/05/2016 11:52

The place where it's located? Does it begin S o T

MrsGradyOldLady · 07/05/2016 12:26

I know you still want your money back but in the meantime could you put some lawn seed down? My husband but a load down on our back lane as it was just a mud patch and it looks really good now. Just obviously takes longer than getting it turfed.

I would contact trading standards. They took the money from you on behalf of a company they'd already applied to have disolved. They do sound very slippery though so you may well struggle even finding them.

The company I found on companies house is registered at 1192 Stratford Road. We are talking about the same company aren't we?

Original poster
coco2303 · 07/05/2016 12:36

Yes we are talking about the same company.....
And my garden has a ridiculous amount of nettles and the stingers with branches that are as thick as a trees lol. There is carpet, needles, glass and allsorts out there.
I am going to search for an industrial strength weed killer and mow it atleast every 2 weeks.
Hopefully that will make it usable if u can get all the crap up.
After the summer I am literally going to buy the plastic sheeting to go over it all and kill everything.
Then early next year I will seed it and hope for the best xx

OP posts:
MrsGradyOldLady · 07/05/2016 12:49

Oh that sounds really bad. Don't do it yourself if there are needles there. They could be a lot of crap hidden in and amongst all the rubble.

The address you need is this Maloney character as he was the only director. I couldn't find him as unfortunately it's a really common name. His accountants will know it but they probably won't give it to you.

By doing what they've done they also fallen under the radar of HMRC who won't be expecting any corporation tax from them.

Original poster
coco2303 · 07/05/2016 12:58

Could they have used a bogus receipt? As far as I know they are part of the gypsy community so could these guys have made themselves untraceable?

Gutted it has happened to me and I really don't want them to be able to do it to anyone else.
Like u said I spoke to them gave them food and drink they knew my situation and that I was giving them all the money I has yet they still did this. And there are probably people more worse off than me that they wouldn't think twice about scamming.

OP posts: