Workman on roof messed up my TV reception and he's not making contact

[dotnet]

I had lead flashing put up on my front extension roof where it joins the house wall.

That evening I found my TV wasn't working. It was like the worst Skype ever - picture and sound breaking up/freezing, just impossible. The workman had somehow nudged the TV wire, which must have affected the aerial.

The workman (whom I foolishly paid in cash and I didn't get a receipt) said when I phoned him, that he'd come round next day (that is,yesterday pm) to sort the problem. He didn't, and he didn't ring either. So now I've gone two nights without TV.

I'd found this roofer through 'Rated People'.

All I've done so far is leave him answerphone messages and an email telling him I need him to put things right ASAP and that I'm currently hanging fire on leaving a negative report on the 'Rated People' website.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what more I can do (please don't tell me I was an idiot to pay cash and not get a receipt - I know I was.)

Thanks.

don't you have trading standard officers in UK? maybe suggest you let them know that's your next call if he doesn't come over and fix it pronto.

Is it a standard TV aerial or a sky dish? If it's a dish, he's probably just shifted the alignment, which is a fairly easy fix and just involves one person downstairs watching telly, and another on the roof tweaking the dish until it's good. If it's a standard aerial, he's probably just damaged the co-axial cable, and it will need replacing. Again not difficult, so if you are at all handy with a ladder, I'd jump up there and have a look at it. It may be easier to persuade him round if you can tell him what the problem is so he knows he can fix it. If it's a standard aerial, I expect it's on your main roof and he won't have been anywhere near it to damage it.

Alternatively, you could call up a TV engineer place and get a quote for fixing it, then leave him another message/email saying that you will have them fix it in X number of days if he doesn't and then take him to small claims to claim back the cost. That might light a fire under him.

Thanks for those pieces of advice! Actually it's beginning to look as if things MIGHT turn out OK. I delivered to his house a letter with the wording I was going to put on the Rated People website, unless he sorted things for me. He emailed me this morning to say an aerial man would be getting in touch. So now it remains to be seen if the roofer will pay the aerial man to do the business. Given that his charge to me after the cost of lead had been taken off, was £160 - ish for four hours' work, it really shouldn't be that much skin off his nose if he has to forfeit £50-ish to pay the aerial man. I wish I could earn £110 for four hours' work.

Thanks again for the advice. I hadn't thought about Trading Standards.

Just an update... aaargh, he's still playing silly buggers. Got an email this morning saying he or somebody else would be round to fix things ASAP - vague, but sounded as if things were looking up. Then I looked at the second email he sent, one minute after the first, which said 'Unfortunately I can't give a date or a time yet'. I went to the Trading Standards website and filled in their online form telling T. S. about the problem and giving all the details about the workman. When I sent the form, a message came up saying a Trading standards person would be in touch within three days. So I'm hopeful they will get this idiot moving (and check up on his work in case he does something vindictive).
I'm still holding fire on the bad appraisal on Rated People - the important thing at the moment is, I still have hopes the prat will get sorted out. greedy man - £160 for four hours' work and not prepared to spend half an hour correcting his cock ups.