I have an urgent issue in my house which needs to be sorted and will need at least 3 or 4 visits. I googled the issue and found a couple of local companies and rang them both. One was slightly more expensive but they could get here quicker so I went with them.
He came out, did the initial work, booked in a second appointment, and provided bank details for me to pay the full amount. All seemed fine. However, the details provided were for a personal account, not a business.
When I did some digging I realised there are no reviews for the business (I’m kicking myself for not spotting this before I called him). Then I found he has repeatedly registered similar companies over the past 10 years, then never filed any accounts, or filed dormant accounts, then been dissolved/compulsorily struck off.
I asked for an invoice and he’s now given me different bank account details for a different company name (which I’ve looked up and it was registered in the last few weeks with his girlfriend as the company director.)
Does this mean he’s likely to be a complete cowboy who doesn’t know what he’s doing? Or just someone who’s crap at doing accounts?
Should I:
a) tell him his services are no longer required and refuse to pay?
b) as above but offer a proportion for today’s visit?
c) agree for him to continue the work on the condition I pay upon satisfactory completion?