About 9 weeks ago I hired a man to repoint our windows as the previous owners had done a terrible job and used the wrong materials and the concert was all falling out on to the road when weather was bad.
He sent me a bill for the two days work. Only about £500. I paid 50% deposit. He worked one day, the work was a really good standard. I paid the other 50% at the end of that day. He left his tools and materials here and hasn't been back in 9 weeks. It's been a constant messenger conversation about weather not being good enough to come back/his stepdad dying (which I've been told may have been a lie), his van blowing up, his new van getting hit. I've had calls with him where he has said he will be with me in an hour and not show all day. My dad has spent days waiting for him at my house every time he says he can come and doesn't turn up. I have messaged him asking for the £220 back for the second days labor (2 man job) and not heard anything.
Do I continue to ring and message him? It's it too early to take him to a small claims court? Do I make threats to call police or anything? (Might be a bit much, I've no idea what the protocol is here).
He's left all his tools here which makes me feel that he isn't doing a runner but he isn't getting the job done either. I'm not going to take action such as sell his tools, they are not really worth a lot, just a ladder/buckets/spray containers/chisels/plastering bits. My brother in law is down in a week and has the skills to complete the job (not professionally trained or anything, he just learnt it in a previous life doing odd building jobs). But I wanted to know if enough time has lapsed for me to actually take action if he's not going to come and complete the job asap or give me my money back?
Please be kind. This is my first experience of hiring someone and he came recommended by a couple of people on my community page. Thank you.