Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Contractor, do we have an agreement or not?

4 replies

fortifiedwithtea · 16/03/2024 16:27

We live on a corner plot. Back garden separated from the pavement by falling apart fence. Front garden boundary wall has crumbled away to nothing. Its an eyesore. The neighbours complain.

Asked on community fb page for recommendations. Asked one of the people named to quote for the jobs as separate items. 1 the fence, 2 the wall. His quote for the fencing was expensive, I don’t rate the wood supplier he uses. However I got the impression he is more of a bricklayer who does a bit of fencing. And so his area of specialty is brick walls.

All communication was /is over messenger. I messaged and said we would like him to do the brickwork only. We agreed a start date. I then asked he put his quote formally in an email or by letter on headed paper. And this is where I got the ‘ick’.

He replied that he would but I have already had the quote via messenger and it was his business page. My response was that messenger is too informal and that we were entering a contract. The job will cost us over £1700 . That to me is not a small of money . So far all he has done is give me a thumbs up emoji and nothing by email. That was over a week ago. Work not due to start until 2nd April.

No money has changed hands. He has not asked for a deposit. In my mind we do not have a valid contract but is that how he sees it?

How in as few words as possible do I phrase that I have got cold feet because I do not feel he has expressed his terms in a business like manner. I have lost confidence in his ability.

The main problem is if he does a crap job I swear to God I will never hear the last of it from my husband . My husband’s job is procurement which for anyone who doesn’t know is the opposite of buyer. Its his job not to spend the his company’s money and unfortunately he brings this to our home life. Which is why the house is such a fucking disgrace and why we need so many repairs all at once. To the point where I am quite stressed. Kitchen and bathroom need urgent replacement too but the neighbours can’t complain about that.

OP posts:
NonmagicMike · 16/03/2024 16:34

Contracts aren’t always on a formal bit of paper. Verbal contracts as an example can be as binding as a signed bit of letterhead paper. You have entered into an engagement to receive services in exchange for money. This will be enforceable through small claims etc.

NonmagicMike · 16/03/2024 16:35

For the other part, your send him a Facebook messenger message back saying something along the lines of I no longer wish to proceed with the job. Simple as that and if they were to still turn up then you would refuse them entry to your home.

fortifiedwithtea · 16/03/2024 16:42

Thank you @NonmagicMike agree I need to keep the message actual and factual.

OP posts:
VeniVidiWeeWee · 16/03/2024 20:16

fortifiedwithtea · 16/03/2024 16:42

Thank you @NonmagicMike agree I need to keep the message actual and factual.

And what do you do when he takes you to small claims court for breach of contract?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page