Feeling threatened by the roofer

wantaholiday · 2023-10-07T16:27:32+00:00

Had some work done on my chimney a while ago to stop it leaking. Work was done, paid for, all good. Except, when we had heavy rain, chimney still leaked just as bad as before. Asked roofer to come back and fix it. After nearly a year, he came back, had a look and said it need more work, he's another quote to do it. I asked if he could at least deduct the money we had already paid. He said 'no' because that was to pay for the first bit of work. I said that I want my money back then, he said 'no' to that as well. Anyway, it's clear he isn't going to fix the work without me paying £££ more and he's not going to refund me. I sent him a message to say I am going to take him to small claims court. He replied 'how dare you threaten me' and that he's going to come round and remove the work he's done if I do. What would you do?

AReallyOldBobTheBuilderFlannel · 07/10/2023 18:12

I wouldn’t have waited a year for him to come back tbh, I’d have reported. I also don’t think it was wise to give him a heads up about small claims court. Do you have a trail of saved messages that you could show if you were to report him, and the original invoice showing date work Was carried out? At this stage I’d find someone to repair it properly before winter, as it could cause further damage that is more costly to fix. I’d deal with small claims once my chimney was fixed properly by someone else.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/problem-with-home-improvements/#:~:text=It%27s%20really%20important%20that%20you,Trading%20Standards%20on%20your%20behalf.

Problem with building work, decorating or home improvements

What to do if you're not happy with building or home improvement work, what your rights are, what to say to the trader, how to take further action, where to get more help.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/problem-with-home-improvements/#:~:text=It%27s%20really%20important%20that%20you,Trading%20Standards%20on%20your%20behalf.

CatherinedeBourgh · 07/10/2023 18:15

It depends. Were there two things that needed doing, one of which he has done in case it was enough to stop the leak, the other that was only worth doing if the leak persisted?

If so, yabu, he was trying to save you money in the first place. Customers like you are the reason many trades refuse to do the minimal repair jobs and insist on replacing the whole thing.

Original poster

wantaholiday · 07/10/2023 18:28

AReallyOldBobTheBuilderFlannel · 07/10/2023 18:12

I wouldn’t have waited a year for him to come back tbh, I’d have reported. I also don’t think it was wise to give him a heads up about small claims court. Do you have a trail of saved messages that you could show if you were to report him, and the original invoice showing date work Was carried out? At this stage I’d find someone to repair it properly before winter, as it could cause further damage that is more costly to fix. I’d deal with small claims once my chimney was fixed properly by someone else.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/problem-with-home-improvements/#:~:text=It%27s%20really%20important%20that%20you,Trading%20Standards%20on%20your%20behalf.

Thank you. I will read before the next step.

OP posts:

Original poster

wantaholiday · 07/10/2023 18:33

CatherinedeBourgh · 07/10/2023 18:15

It depends. Were there two things that needed doing, one of which he has done in case it was enough to stop the leak, the other that was only worth doing if the leak persisted?

If so, yabu, he was trying to save you money in the first place. Customers like you are the reason many trades refuse to do the minimal repair jobs and insist on replacing the whole thing.

He told me he would fix the leak, he didn't, at any point, say it might not work. He sent me a stream of text messages today about how dare I threaten him (I didn't threaten him, I just said if he didn't give me my money back I would go to small claims) and how he was going to come round here and remove everything.

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LuluBlakey1 · 07/10/2023 18:37

He can't remove the work he did- you paid him in full. Don't get into a row with him. If you decide to take him to the small claim court just get on with it.
Personally, I would not allow him to do further work on my house because he is so aggressive to deal with.

RudsyFarmer · 07/10/2023 18:37

Keep all the threatening texts and go to small claims. If he comes back and causes criminal damage phone the police.

sarahc336 · 07/10/2023 18:44

Get shot of this guy for starters. Do not give him any more of your money! You get a new quote from a new company and you report him to trading standards for work that was not fit for purpose. Do not continue with this guy plenty more roofers out there!!!

parietal · 07/10/2023 18:47

He did the work, you paid and you were happy at the time. A roof can be tricky and it may well not be his fault it is still leaking.

Leave him be and get a different roofer to take a look and quote. If roofer no2 and roofer no3 both give you written testimony that roofer no1 did a crap job, you might have a case for small claims. Otherwise, move on and find a different fix.

Topseyt123 · 07/10/2023 18:48

RudsyFarmer · 07/10/2023 18:37

Keep all the threatening texts and go to small claims. If he comes back and causes criminal damage phone the police.

This is exactly what you do.

Screenshot the threatening messages and keep them safe. Block him and stop engaging with him at all now.

Get someone else to come and complete the work on the chimney stack. Then if necessary just pursue the first builder through the small claims court for return of what money you can get.

Livinghappy · 07/10/2023 19:06

What did he say was the issue and how much did you pay? Did he show photographs of work needed? How old is the roof as context is important to any claim.

Getting onto a roof will have cost time and potentially scaffolding so he might genuinely be out of pocket.

After a year it is possible further issues have developed. Also as someone else mentioned getting a small repair to a roof can cause repeat issues, just because the underlying cause is more extensive so all you are doing is patching rather than longterm fix.

BlueMongoose · 07/10/2023 19:48

Honest advice here, if not what you want to hear.
Put it behind you, write the money off, tell him that you consider the matter closed, and get a new roofer, preferably one that comes recommended by someone you know. Having left it so long I'm not sure a court would take your side, specially after all this time, and it would be very stressful to go through with that.
Leaks can come from different places, there is no evidence on what you say that the work he did was bad work; the actual leak may come from somewhere else and it may just be his diagnosis that was wrong. Bear in mind that it can be very difficult to diagnose leaks. I'm having one right now on some UPVC work (not the roof) - just a very minor slow seepage of a very little water in one very little place and only when we get a lot of rain (nearly three inches in 2 days) and wind in one direction, but it's there, it needs sorting, and the very experienced person who did the installation for us has tried everything he can think of and is as stumped as we are about it. I'm annoyed, but I can't see what it can be either. Nothing has been done carelessly on the job, everything has been done by the book, everything has been carefully sealed, but....still, there it is- a little seep.

Original poster

wantaholiday · 07/10/2023 23:52

BlueMongoose · 07/10/2023 19:48

Honest advice here, if not what you want to hear.
Put it behind you, write the money off, tell him that you consider the matter closed, and get a new roofer, preferably one that comes recommended by someone you know. Having left it so long I'm not sure a court would take your side, specially after all this time, and it would be very stressful to go through with that.
Leaks can come from different places, there is no evidence on what you say that the work he did was bad work; the actual leak may come from somewhere else and it may just be his diagnosis that was wrong. Bear in mind that it can be very difficult to diagnose leaks. I'm having one right now on some UPVC work (not the roof) - just a very minor slow seepage of a very little water in one very little place and only when we get a lot of rain (nearly three inches in 2 days) and wind in one direction, but it's there, it needs sorting, and the very experienced person who did the installation for us has tried everything he can think of and is as stumped as we are about it. I'm annoyed, but I can't see what it can be either. Nothing has been done carelessly on the job, everything has been done by the book, everything has been carefully sealed, but....still, there it is- a little seep.

I think you might be right. Especially given the roofers very aggressive tone. I don't trust him to not be violent tbh. In my defence though, the year wait for him to come back and have a look, I had messaged him multiple times during that time and he had made multiple appointments but just didn't show up, or message to cancel. It just took him a year to come out and have another look.

I just wish trades people weren't so shit in the UK. I think its because there are so few of them they can behave how they want and there will always be more work anyway.

OP posts:

Original poster

wantaholiday · 07/10/2023 23:54

So, let it go because, basically, I'm scared of him, which is terrible and I'm ashamed of myself for not standing up to him.

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DepartureLounge · 08/10/2023 13:28

If you've got the audit trail of all the messages telling him there was a problem with the original work, asking him to come back and having to reschedule because he didn't, stretching over the year, then personally I don't see why you shouldn't pursue it. Unless there are deadlines built into the small claims process that you've ended up breaching because of his delay tactics that render your claim unenforceable (I've no idea, I've never gone to SCC), why not just fill out the forms, send them off and see what happens. He sounds like a complete cowboy, and based on what you've said here it sounds like you can demonstrate it. Whether you've got the energy for it is another matter, which only you can assess.