How should we handle this?

[Julieb85]

We hired a builder to do some work in our home, agreed a fee and a timescale of 2-3 weeks. First week went fine, then...

Labourer called in sick and was subsequently sacked, which pushed timescale out. I fully expected this, however we're now at the end of week 5 and the job isn't complete. We have no lighting, woodwork isn't finished, plastering is poor and the general finishing is untidy.

We've tried to be understanding but it's getting to the end of our tether now. We have a young baby who is totally unsettled as he's not in his own home and we're just desperate to get back in.

Would you - slow builder to continue until place is done, sack him and not pay remainder of fee or sack him and she'll out for someone else to finish/fix the job?

I feel like sacking him night out us all out our misery as its dragging on so much. I'm completely miserable.

Sympathies Julie, could you perhaps get another builder or even two to come round when the current one isn't there and give you a price to sort it all out and complete the job?
That way you know what you're facing.

Try and get others to finish the job, but there are problems. Don't pay another penny to the original contractor. However, a new person(s) might not be able to come round right away. I would write a final letter to the current contractor saying if you are not here by X time on X date to complete the work, you will forfiet the rest of the fee and you will not be required to finish this job. The problem is that you need an electrician, joiner, general builder and plasterer. All different trades. I expect this is what your contractor is having trouble with too. It could take a long time if these trades people are not available. Do you want to manage each trade individually?

I really don't want to manage them individually but realistic we could finish some of the jobs on our own - like the painting and skirting boards. Then all I would need is an electrician and a plasterer. I've already booked an electrician to fix boiler as clearly current builder is out his depth with that!! I could live with the plastering for a few week or so until another tradesman is available.

I'm just a bit worried about the reaction when I inform him I'm not paying any more cash!!!

So the guys now gone. After shouting that we've breached our contract...1. I never signed a thing and 2. He's 16 days over deadline!!

Hoping this is the end of it. Not paying him a penny more so we'll see what happens. I'll have our lawyer on stand by!

If you haven't signed a thing - then they haven't given you written details of how to cancel - this is a legal requirement of anyone selling /providing a service in your home ....

...you have 14 days cooling off when you can legally cancel - these 14 days start when they give you the written information - if they haven't - then you can cancel even now and ask for a full refund if all monies paid already !

It's called the consumer contracts ( information, cancellation, and additional charge) regulation 2013

Write to them stating this and you will find they will perhaps start bending over backwards to help all of a sudden ! Especially when those solicitors say they are in the wrong and they will have to pay you back .

If you prefer to get new contractors in - Pursue them for a full refund to cover that new extra cost .

Which info link ...
www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-contracts-regulations

Thank you. The situation just seems to get worse...tunes out the work is unsafe. The electrical work alone would have resulted in a house fire almost instantly. Clearly nothing more than a cowboy builder!

Contacted trading standards who are taking this forward. For now I'm going to concentrate on making my house safe and habitable and then go from there in terms of claiming anything back. I imagine it'll just drag on on on if I do this though

Thank goodness you found out though.
Have you got a written report about the dangerous wiring? You may be able to go to the Small Claims Court of something to try and recoop some of your costs so far.

Also be sure that whoever carries out further electrical work will have to issue you with a certificate that you need to keep safe for when you sell in the future.

We've talked it through and I'm not sure I can deal with the whole dragged out process with no guarantee at the end of it. I've informed TS and sent a legal letter to builder but I don't expect to hear back from them tbh. Putting it down to a harsh life lesson. Just glad, as you say, that we found out - as bad a we feel about this situation it could've been serious. I went into serious protective mother mode when I found out! Especially as wiring was in my little ones nursery!!