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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:
MrsGradyOldLady · 07/05/2016 13:10

I did think that as soon as I saw the name and the fact their is no correspondence address other than the accountants for both the company and the director. You've got absolutely no chance. I'm so sorry that they've done this to you but I wouldn't waste anymore time or head space on this.

You could email companies house as they weren't eligible for disolution as they were still trading. You could contact HMRC as they should have objected and would have done if they'd known the full facts. It won't get you your money back though.

As painful as it is you'll just have to draw a line under it. Bastards.

MrsGradyOldLady · 07/05/2016 13:12

There not their. Sorry about crap spelling.

MrsGradyOldLady · 07/05/2016 13:17

I don't think the receipt is bogus no. They just knew it would be no use to you. They only set up in September 2014 so they basically had 18 months of scamming people and not having to pay tax.

The registered director has only been director of this company so he can do it again and again and again before being barred from being a director. Then they'll just do it again with perhaps a wife acting as director. And carry on again.

SouthWestmom · 07/05/2016 13:19

Is it these? Will ask for it to be removed if not.

I have been scammed advice please
I have been scammed advice please
MrsGradyOldLady · 07/05/2016 13:21

Yes I think it's the same company. Website is down. I bet the mobile number is dead too.

They'll be trading as something else now but they must have a different director now.

DreamCloud99 · 07/05/2016 13:26

Well you asked them to turd it and you got shit ... You got what you asked for Grin

Sorry I couldn't resist !

Hope you get sorted OP!

Reetdiscreet · 07/05/2016 13:30

OP if there's needles out there and your house is council you are within your rights to ask them to send a specialist company to do a needle sweep (I've just had one done) and then get the council to do a rake over and remove rubbish. The council won't pay for returfing etc but they are responsible for ensuring there are no health hazards and that previous tenants rubbish is removed. Know that doesn't help with the horrible people who've ripped you off but it might mean you can get your garden to a useable standard.

Original poster
coco2303 · 07/05/2016 13:40

I can't even find that Facebook page haha. If it is based in Birmingham I would believe it is the same company.
And I think I have accepted the fact that I won't get any money back but I still want to make it difficult for them to do this to anyone else

OP posts:
lifesalongsong · 07/05/2016 13:51

If you're on facebook you could try asking in local groups if anyone else has had the same experience or knows where they live

You've mentioned rather late in the day that they're gypsies, sadly I suspect that will mean that there'll be little you can do but a public name and shame might make you feel a bit better

Original poster
coco2303 · 07/05/2016 13:54

The getting someone else to call them around for a quote a.s getting some sweet revenge is looking more and more promising......
Not violence but a good old scare would make me feel better

OP posts:
MrsGradyOldLady · 07/05/2016 13:54

I really would draw a line under it. I wouldn't try and get revenge on these people by publicly naming and shaming. They planned this and have already shown they're as dodgy as fuck. Plus they know where you live - you gave no idea where they live.

Roussette · 07/05/2016 14:54

And I hope you have strong words with your "friend" about her FIL and his father.

MrsGradyOldLady · 07/05/2016 15:27

Something dodgy as fuck I'd going on here. There are over 100 businesses registered to the same address (the accountants). Randomly clicking on them a large proportion are newly incorporated (under 2 years old) and many are in the process of being struck off due to late filing of annual returns. There are a fair few companies with the word "drive" in the title. Others seem to mainly be Muslim companies - Halal/Muslim/ Crescent in the title.

It's a tax dodge. If you get struck off for late filing of annual returns and don't file accounts or tax returns it goes undetected by HMRC. Obviously illegal but I've seen it happen before.

MrsGradyOldLady · 07/05/2016 15:32

In fact there are 157 companies registered to this address and only 23 have ever filed accounts.

MarthaCliffYouCunt · 07/05/2016 15:37

Sounds like that accountant needs reporting to someone.

IceMaiden73 · 07/05/2016 16:14

You could complain. To companies House, however they won't do anything

You could try and prove that the limited company was being run fraudulently, however, it would be very expensive and they probably don't have any assets anyway

You could write to them at their accountants office, though I doubt they will respond. Their accountants won't be able to give you their address at it would be a breach of confidentiality

As annoying as it is I don't think you will be seeing your money

MrsGradyOldLady · 07/05/2016 16:23

I've reported the first company (alphabetically) to HMRC. It says they were struck off on 10th May 2016 which is in the future so that's a bit odd.

The accountants say they are chartered and been around since 1992. I've reported them to HMRC. They probably didn't get their hands dirty. It's not their fault if their clients forget to filensure their annual return is it? There's so many though that have either been struck off or who are about to be. All that tax basically defrauded from the government.

MrsGradyOldLady · 07/05/2016 16:31

And "Mr Halal Chickens" has now on his 5th about to be disolved company.

MrsGradyOldLady · 07/05/2016 16:35

I wonder if the Daily Mail would be interested? Dodgy accountants, tax evasion plus Muslims and Irish travellers? Should be right up their street?

Original poster
coco2303 · 07/05/2016 16:35

Mrsgradyoldlady I LOVE YOU Smile.
You have honestly made me feel so much better for reporting them and knowing what to do.

OP posts:
listsandbudgets · 07/05/2016 16:37

op we are in Birmingham and I had an iris chap knock on the door earlier this week. ... He was from a company called enhanced driveways and wanted to know if we had any gardening work. Sounds like I had a lucky escape.

listsandbudgets · 07/05/2016 16:38

IRISH not iris

Original poster
coco2303 · 07/05/2016 16:38

Yes he is an older Irish guy with glasses called Mike. What area are you in please? The older guy is Mike and his son Geoff who has dark hair shaved on about a number 3 xx

OP posts:
Original poster
coco2303 · 07/05/2016 16:47

If it is them warn your neighbours incase any of them have agreed to let them do work. They also had a small red van when they came to mine aswell

OP posts:
IceMaiden73 · 07/05/2016 16:47

You don't know that the accountants are dodgy MrsGrady

Companies house only updates once a week, on a Tuesday, for dissolutions. At this point they update all companies being struck off in the next week, hence it is normal to have companies being dissolved a few days in the future