cowboy builder

Nobago Ng · 28 Aug 2020

Hi,
I had a terrible bad experience with a cowboy builder in Oxford.
He was recommended to me By a good friend hence I used this builder without checking references/past work.
I paid to him nearly £8,000 but he never completed any of the agreed jobs, Plus he put me in danger (eg: boiler was not correctly fit, staircase was cut in several places and never repaired properly). I want to name and Shame him over the net because I don’t want him to do the same thing to other people. Eventually he will ended hurting someone; he is dangerous.
I m planning to take him to court to recover the money I paid plus money for the damages he caused (broken window, broken tile in the bathroom so needs retiling, damaged to the garden grass, damaged engineering oak flooring, etc
My understanding is that I m not doing anything ilegal letting other people know that he is a cowboy builder, please could anyone tell me whether my understanding is correct? Thanks in advance

jcr71 · 28 Aug 2020

1. without proof this is just hearsay.
2. get a new best friend.

EddieM · 28 Aug 2020

Nobago Ng said:
Hi,
I had a terrible bad experience with a cowboy builder in Oxford.
He was recommended to me By a good friend hence I used this builder without checking references/past work.
I paid to him nearly £8,000 but he never completed any of the agreed jobs, Plus he put me in danger (eg: boiler was not correctly fit, staircase was cut in several places and never repaired properly). I want to name and Shame him over the net because I don’t want him to do the same thing to other people. Eventually he will ended hurting someone; he is dangerous.
I m planning to take him to court to recover the money I paid plus money for the damages he caused (broken window, broken tile in the bathroom so needs retiling, damaged to the garden grass, damaged engineering oak flooring, etc
My understanding is that I m not doing anything ilegal letting other people know that he is a cowboy builder, please could anyone tell me whether my understanding is correct? Thanks in advance

Not allowed on this forum. Could possibly open you up to liable. Probably best to just go through the courts. Then word of mouth gets around pretty well.

kingandy2nd · 28 Aug 2020

Post it on google reviews/yelp.

JP_ · 28 Aug 2020

Sorry to hear this, horrible when these cowboys screw up people's lives.
Sad thing is, courts might get nothing out of him. If he's a true cowboy, he'll have no assets, do everything in cash and declare himself penniless, or just disappear for a bit then pop up using another name.

adlplumbing · 28 Aug 2020

The Boiler report it to gas safe

mattylad · 28 Aug 2020

If you do this then make damn sure you are not doing it using your own name or anything that can be used to reference to you.

martin hill · 28 Aug 2020

Nobago Ng said:
Hi,
I had a terrible bad experience with a cowboy builder in Oxford.
He was recommended to me By a good friend hence I used this builder without checking references/past work.
I paid to him nearly £8,000 but he never completed any of the agreed jobs, Plus he put me in danger (eg: boiler was not correctly fit, staircase was cut in several places and never repaired properly). I want to name and Shame him over the net because I don’t want him to do the same thing to other people. Eventually he will ended hurting someone; he is dangerous.
I m planning to take him to court to recover the money I paid plus money for the damages he caused (broken window, broken tile in the bathroom so needs retiling, damaged to the garden grass, damaged engineering oak flooring, etc
My understanding is that I m not doing anything ilegal letting other people know that he is a cowboy builder, please could anyone tell me whether my understanding is correct? Thanks in advance

First thing to do is ring and ask him to come have a look at the issues. If no joy.

Second thing to do is email him with a list of the issues asking for a reply within 7 days or so.

In the meantime check if he or the person who touched the boiler is Gas safe and if not report him/them.

If no joy from email call C.A.B and ask for best advice and time scales etc.

Don't start any slander on google/social media as you will get nowhere.

martin hill · 28 Aug 2020

For anyone reading who is new to getting any work done please read.

Regardless of friends mate etc or worked for them and it was spot on always. do your checks.

Gas safe if fire or boiler.

Same with a sparky check they qualified to do the work.

Google the company.

Google the persons name too.

Ask local builders merchants about them.

Agreed a price in writing and a list of the jobs they doing in the quote.

Make sure that it includes pricing for materials and labour etc.

Agreed a payment schedule.

Example for say an extension

25% on start date for materials.
25% when footings/foundation done.
25% when shell up/ brickwork complete.

The last 25% you pay after you have inspected the work and totally happy with the job.

NEVER PAY THE FULL AMOUNT UPFRONT.

johnny2007 · 28 Aug 2020

Hunt him down.
Then visit him in hospital wearing one of those muzzles so fashionable nowadays.
Become his best mate by visiting him everyday.
Once I heard there's a market for kidneys...

HERTS P&D · 28 Aug 2020

Don't get on the wrong side of Johnny.

Andy

martin hill · 28 Aug 2020

HERTS P&D · 29 Aug 2020

Did you know that 'Here's Johhny' was ad libbed and was left in by the director?

Andy

opps · 31 Aug 2020

Thee are free services that you can use to name and shame people. You need to ensure that you are factually correct but "fair comment" allows you to express an opinion.

If the service is hosted in the USA, you will additionally be covered by the first amendment (freedom of speech).

As a UK citizen with a reseller web hosting account in the USA, I host a site complaining about a large UK based spread betting firm on behalf of a friend. The firm has sent Cease and Desist orders to both my friend and the American host but the host told them that hey will only take down the site if a US judge orders them to do so.

Ensure that your site is a Not For Profit site, ie that you do not make any money from advertising on the site.

The free Google Blogger and the free Wordpress services will probably suit your needs. AFAIK they are hosted in the US. The following is a site "dedicated" to the guy that took thousands as a deposit from my GF and never did nay work.

https://homeowneruk.wordpress.com/

If you need specific advice, just ask.

Carlyx · 17 Sep 2020

Very curious to know if its the same one I've just had! Are his initials SR?

diynot

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cowboy builder

EddieM

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