Plumber disappeared with job half done and 90% of the fee

[stripystars]

I am in the middle of having my ensute redone. The plumber was to supply and fit the materials and quoted X amount and asked for the cost of the materials up front, along with a link to the website of the supplier he was using. This was about 1/3 of the total.

The job has been beset by delays from the start (on the first day I overheard him on the phone telling someone he had 'fucked up big time ). I have now been without a useable ensuite for a month. He has done the tiling (amazingly it looks great, but I had bought the tiles separately), fitted the toilet and sink, and fitted an electric shower and tap to the sink, both of which are considerably cheaper than the ones I chose and paid for, so will need to be replaced.

I last spoke to him on Wednesday, when he told me that there were delays at the warehouse and he would be finishing in a couple of days. I have tried ringing him all day and left messages but he has not responded. I am starting to get a really bad feeling about this. Throughout the course of the job he kept asking for further payment (to fix his van, to pay for floor tiles he had not included in the previous quote, and so he could have some wages). Now I have paid 90% of the fee, am without about £300 worth of the materials and fitting of those items needing to be done. There is also a skip on my drive which I am also starting to worry about as surely they don’t leave them there for a month for £80.

What do I do next?

I think I would give him one more chance, and then if he doesn't turn up I'd text/ email post a letter before action to him. If that doesn't result in anything happening, take him to the small claims court.

Note to your future self: never, ever give a trade all (or nearly all) the money until you can see the results with your very own eyes. Only the really dodgy, living on the edge of professional ruin ones ask for this :(

I would be gathering together all the communications you have to prove what has not been delivered and then follow the small claim procedure with the first letter. But do check on the company as much as you can first - sometimes it is a matter of pursuing it on principle, and others you just have to draw a line under it

FWIW I ended up in this position with a trader that had previously done an absolutely perfect job on my kitchen so was lulled into a false sense of security - left with 3 crap bathrooms, company bust, KSBA not worth the paper it is written on, so not even anyone to take to small claims. You live and learn .

My recent conversation with a plasterer. " I have nearly finished. Back next Thursday. Can I have £400 on account?" Me: you are not coming back for £50. I cannot plaster. You can have £200 on account. Funnily enough he was back on monday!