Patio issues - help!

[Flackattack]

Last year we had our garden levelled and paid for a pergola, new turf, a barked area for the children’s toys, a couple of sleepers to make flower beds and a new patio with hardcore across the house. We paid £7k.

Since it was finished and we have paid we have had ongoing issues. The slabs were loose, the pointing was crumbling. I had to chase and chase and chase to get someone back to relay these slabs and add more stuff between the slabs.

Since then the pointing has continued to crumble, it comes away with sweeping - and the slabs are dangerously uneven and the patio has sunk in the middle meaning water pools right next to the house giving us a massive rush if damp.

We can’t pressure wash the patio but was looking such a mess we had to get a professional into steam it and he was appalled at the state of the patio and said it was the worst he’d ever seen - he had no vested interest as he just cleans patios.

All I want is a nice patio that’s level and not crumbling!

I keep chasing the company and they say yeah we will take a look - months drag by / I chase periodically

They have now said they will take a look but it was fine when they left it . . . Is that it? As long as it was ok in the day? I will attach the last message below - there are always excuses why he can’t pop around (no problem popping in before we paid!)

I’m considering small claims - would I have a case? Any advice at all would be very much appreciated!

With all due respect when we left the patio was absolutely fine.

It's not down to a bad job etc...Its down to a garden which is obviously holding alot of water and effecing what we have done.

If it was a problem with what we had done then it would have failed within a couple of days.

When I left and with the pictures on my phone the day it was complete it was absolutely fine.

As I said before we have carried out what we quoted.

There was never a quote to add heavy drainage etc...but the normal run off etc...as with every patio.

You have got what you paid for. What we lay and prepare is only as good as the ground underneath it.

If this is naturally always wet down deep or adequate storm drainage not put in by the house builder , Especially with having a field behind your garden then that's not down to us unfortunately.

As I said I will have a look and go from there.

He hasn’t actually said when he will come. What should I do? He isn’t coming / I feel he is taking the mick?
My neighbours patios are all fine - laid by different contractors and no issues were mentioned at quoting!

Sounds like a rogue trader to me.

I would suggest you look on Companies House to see the history of this company. How long has it been trading and do the directors have a history of dissolving companies etc?

Just read the message you posted - you are absolutely being spun a yarn.

Also to add - I did report issues as soon as it was finished with photos which they eventually came back to sort but it has been ongoing since it was laid

I would also contact your trading standards office and ask for their advice. I would be emailing this company obtaining a delivery receipt and a letter by registered post, referencing previous correspondence and advising that you are giving them a period of 30 days from the date of the letter to remedy the defective workmanship, or else you will be taking this further.

I don’t know what the next steps are as I definitely am just being spun a yarn - there is always an excuse!
They have been going a few years / I think they do the job but it’s aftercare - looks fine for a minute and then that’s it.
I will have to do something as I can’t risk damp on the house but don’t feel I should have to pay more

Do some research on the citizens advice page here. They provide some helpful advice about your rights, steps you have to take etc.

I don't think you have helped yourself here by allowing the situation to drag on. They are probably hoping you will just give up.

From this point forward, you need to up the ante big style - deadlines on any correspondence etc.

Follow the advice above and speak to a lawyer.

Thank you - I didn’t want to not allow reasonable time - I have sent a without prejudice email and if he doesn’t visit my Friday as he said he would u will be following all of the steps above. I’ll start reading up today as I’m not convinced he will show up!
Thanks all!!

You need to get a report from an independent expert. If that supports your view that problems are down to poor workmanship, you should go back to the supplier and give them a deadline to sort it out. Make it clear that, if they do not fix the patio by the deadline, you will take legal action without further notice. If they don't fix the patio, you can get quotes from other contractors to fix it and take legal action against this company for the cost of fixing your patio.

Sending a "without prejudice" email means you can't refer to it in court, so you now can't tell the court that you've given him a deadline of Friday (which, in any case, the courts may view as too short a deadline). You will need a report from an independent expert if this goes to court.

Did you get quotes from other people for the work as it does sound very cheap ( unless it’s a tiny area ) . Sounds like you’ve employed a cowboy who doesn’t do the prep work properly , did you get a written quote stating how the patio was to be laid ?

Without prejudice email was a previous email to hopefully chivvy him along - didn’t work

He says he would come by Friday / my first email for this time was 31st October.

I will need to get an independent report - good call - will do this if no joy by Friday /

Yes written quote / used him before for something else and all was fine. He’s blaming how wet the area is.

It was on par with other quotes.

This was for the patio

Existing patio and base to be lifted , loaded and cleared from site.
Polypropylene mypex groundsheet to be laid and cut in over areas.
Hardcore material will be spread , levelled and compacted over areas.
Sandstone project paving to then be laid over areas creating new patio along with widened patio running alongside property and continuing path running alongside garage.
Once set paving to be pointed in using a fastpoint system completing new paving.

Probably should have quantified what this meant :

FULLY INSURED AND ALL WORKS GUARANTEED