Context
I am new to the UK, I arrived in 2019, I managed to get a mortgage and got the house key in August 2021, in Leicester. The house was built in 1972 and was a bit run down, therefore I hired a builder to change the kitchen/living room layout. We agreed on 50% payment upfront and 50% at completion, for these items:
After doing only part of the work, he stopped working and did not answer my calls and comms anymore. So I've just finished the main bits myself now (DIY) and I finally have time now to go to court against him and resolve other problems caused by the renovation, for which I will ask some advice from you guys here, if you can, please. List of issues:
Some of the problems listed above come from my lack of experience with regulations in the UK, lack of experience with renovations, and pressure to move in quickly, among others. Now I would like to see if you have any ideas about how I can resolve my situation because there are so many things to consider, that I am totally lost.
I am already living in the house and it is fully working and livable now, but I am still finalising some minor works too.
Your help
One of the ideas I had was to use my house insurance to send the builder to court, for instance, because the policy covers legal expenses up to £50k. However, I haven't given them any notice about the renovation, so I don't know if it would cause more trouble than good. Should I give them (retrospective) notice now?
What about hiring a “no win no fee” (CFA) solicitor to take care of my case, instead?
Do I really need building regs and FENSA for the kind of work done? Or maybe I would be better off getting indemnity insurance?
Any ideas?
As you can see, now I know a bit more about the (existence of the) regs, but I am still lost about what to do and how/where to start. Any ideas and opinions are highly appreciated.
I am new to the UK, I arrived in 2019, I managed to get a mortgage and got the house key in August 2021, in Leicester. The house was built in 1972 and was a bit run down, therefore I hired a builder to change the kitchen/living room layout. We agreed on 50% payment upfront and 50% at completion, for these items:
- Relocate the Kitchen's external door and window, while at the same time replacing them with new ones (all material included).
- Relocate the wires and plumbing (we wanted the sink and appliances in new positions)
- Replace the single-glazed patio door on the living room, which was connected to the backyard conservatory.
- Knockdown a stud wall between the kitchen and living room (open plan kitchen)
- Reboard and skim coat the whole room
- Install 10 downlights
- Electrician certificate
- Minor rearrangements due to the list above, such as lowering the outside floor level to accommodate the new external door location
After doing only part of the work, he stopped working and did not answer my calls and comms anymore. So I've just finished the main bits myself now (DIY) and I finally have time now to go to court against him and resolve other problems caused by the renovation, for which I will ask some advice from you guys here, if you can, please. List of issues:
- I've been ripped off and would like to go to court against the builder.
- I haven't given any notice to the building regs
- I haven't given any notice to the insurance company
- I haven't got an electrician certificate for the rewiring. Besides, I connected/bodged the new circuits to the fuse board myself, but they still need to be fitted more properly, and by a certified electrician.
- No FENSA certifications for the windows/doors fitted
- I would like to sell the house in the near future, and the issues above will be a problem
Some of the problems listed above come from my lack of experience with regulations in the UK, lack of experience with renovations, and pressure to move in quickly, among others. Now I would like to see if you have any ideas about how I can resolve my situation because there are so many things to consider, that I am totally lost.
I am already living in the house and it is fully working and livable now, but I am still finalising some minor works too.
Your help
One of the ideas I had was to use my house insurance to send the builder to court, for instance, because the policy covers legal expenses up to £50k. However, I haven't given them any notice about the renovation, so I don't know if it would cause more trouble than good. Should I give them (retrospective) notice now?
What about hiring a “no win no fee” (CFA) solicitor to take care of my case, instead?
Do I really need building regs and FENSA for the kind of work done? Or maybe I would be better off getting indemnity insurance?
Any ideas?
As you can see, now I know a bit more about the (existence of the) regs, but I am still lost about what to do and how/where to start. Any ideas and opinions are highly appreciated.