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Late February this year we had our boiler moved, they guy who did it was a recommend from a friend and has done good work for us previously. However the state that he has left it in is an utter disgrace, its not straight by a long way, there are bare wires hanging around, the old hole in the wall has been foamed then left.
He was due to come finish off 2nd week of March but my wife suspected she had Covid so we cancelled to self isolate & he pencilled us in 2 weeks later but then the whole country went into lock down. As the boiler was working we've not been in a massive rush but whenever we chase him its gone from "I'll be round next week" to now just not answering our calls.
This morning the heating didn't come on. 3 hours of ringing round and finally we've had someone come look at it... first one said "I'm not touching that" and left again. Second guy to come round said "power is going in the thermostat but not coming out, probably due to those bare wires in a bathroom, I don't fit Google Nest stuff, you'll need some one else".
Clearly this guy isn't coming back to sort out his mess & its going to cost me for a new thermostat, installation & tidying the electrics up plus I'm going to have to pay someone to brick up the old flu pipe, none of which I should have to.
I haven't paid the installation guy everything but I have paid him more than I'm happy with considering the situation. Whats my options for getting money back?
CCJ ?
Report him to gas safe?
I haven’t paid the installation guy everything but I have paid him more than I’m happy with considering the situation. Whats my options for getting money back?
How much are we talking about?
You'll need an inspection report of some kind.
I thought I'd report him after getting money back.
We've paid him well over a grand.
I think you may have a long wait... Maybe another call outlining what you are going to do followed by the legal route.
Yes but what is the legal route?
Yes but what is the legal route?
Send letter before action and then small claims court if necessary.
Plenty of templates online for the LBA. Keep it short, factual and be clear what you want and it has to be reasonable. Basically you want to be able to show you have done everything you reasonably can before going to the small claims court.
report him to gas safe, they will be interested in poor work..
https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/help-and-advice/complaints-report-an-illegal/gas-work-complaint/
LBA = Letter Before Action
Definitely Gas Safe - we did same with a Gas Fire, they cam out, inspected and did report which led to guy being taken off list. Inspector even corrected the issue for us.
If he's done this to you, are you happy letting him continue practicing on others? I wasn't so went down route of reporting.
...to now just not answering our calls.
Call him from a different number.
Honestly, at this point I'd be wanting to conduct discussions in writing (post / email) so you've got an audit trail. Explain that you want the issues rectifying within a reasonable about of time or you shall be seeking redress.
These are atypical times and it's the right thing to do to at least give him the opportunity to make good, it'll stand you in good stead if you do end up going legal. But at the end of the day you need it sorting and you need a timescale hanging on that. Non-functional heating in November is something that should be a priority to sort even if the rest of it can be finished off at a more leisurely rate.
@tomd LBA?
Something like the following delivered recorded delivery.
Dear Mr Plumber,
You provided quote X to do the following work:
etc
On date Y you attended and did Z. The following was not completed (attach pictures):
etc
On [date] the following faults were identified:
[List any efforts you have made to contact and request the work is completed]
Please arrange to return by [date] to make good the outstanding work and rectify faults. If you are unable to complete the work I will start small claims court action to recover the following etc.
@hopkinsgsm & @tomd LBA downloaded & currently being filled in.
@northshoreniall I've found his gas safe number so will be informing them too.
@Cougar calls from different numbers get "oh hi, I've not forgotten, I'll be round next week" then nothing so I agree, paper / written is the way forwards. Mid march to early November is more than a leisurely rate for him to sort things out, he has positive reviews in mid August so he's clearly been working elsewhere.