We have used the same firm of builders for renovation work a couple of times before and have always been pleased with what they’ve done. We had a range of work done earlier this year which included electrical, plastering and decorating. They were unable to finish the decorating due to a problem with a wall that they advised should be fixed before they could finish as problems could materialise at a later date. They have invoiced us for the full amount. In querying why we have to pay in full when the work hasn’t been complete, they have advised that the delay hasn’t been caused by them so shouldn’t be penalised. They also advised we will need to pay for them to come back but haven’t said how much this will cost. This wasn’t flagged at the time the issue was found when we could have decided to continue at risk with getting the decorating completed. Previously we have had structural issues which delayed work completion and we did not need to pay the full invoice and didn’t pay extra for them to come back.
I just wondered where we stand on this: do we have to pay the full amount now? Can they charge us extra to return when they did not advise us of this when we discussed whether to delay or not?