Advice needed: Threats from fitter

[Johnson77]

My bathroom fitter has been cutting corners in order to complete the job as quickly as possible.

For example, he decided not to prime the plasterboard before tanking.

I specifically requested moisture resistant plasterboard but due the current pandemic / bank holiday, I was unable to source some on the day.

Therefore, he decided to just use regular plasterboard and when I queried this, he muttered that I should ‘shut up’.

The shower valve he installed has 3 fixing holes but he only screwed in two. And the screws used looked small and inappropriate for the job. So I worry that this may not hold.

The final nail in the coffin was when the fitter decided to pee in front of my property despite a fully operational loo on my ground floor.

Due to the quality of the job and his rudeness, I do not trust him in my home and I have lost confidence that he will do a decent job. So I wanted to pay him for what he has done and bring someone else in to quote and complete the job

After informing him that I no longer wish for him to continue, the fitter has now began to send threatening and intimidating messages demanding payment for what he has done today ‘or else’. Perhaps he is referring to legal action?


Am I obligated to pay him what he is requesting? What would be a fair way to assess what he has done? Am I right in wanting to bring someone else in? Any advice is welcome

 

[^woody^]

Keep the messages, contact the Police show them the threats.

As for the work, you are obligated to pay for what has been done, however you can either agree a lower figure, or you can make a 'reasonable' assessment of the work and pay a 'reasonable' amount, and if the fitter don't like it he is entitled to make a claim in the courts for any difference and let a judge decide what is fair.

But in the here and now, you should contact the Police regarding any threats.

 

[Nige F]

The final nail in the coffin was when the fitter decided to pee in front of my property despite a fully operational loo on my ground floor.

I am serious - do you, or a neighbour have cctv that could have caught the act ? that would be good evidence.

 

[Johnson77]

Keep the messages, contact the Police show them the threats.

As for the work, you are obligated to pay for what has been done, however you can either agree a lower figure, or you can make a 'reasonable' assessment of the work and pay a 'reasonable' amount, and if the fitter don't like it he is entitled to make a claim in the courts for any difference and let a judge decide what is fair.

But in the here and now, you should contact the Police regarding any threats.

Thank you.

I have taken plenty of pictures and video of the work thus far

I would like to bring another tradesman in as I do not have a functioning bathroom at present.

Shall I hold off or is it okay to obtain quotes and bring someone else in asap?

I am serious - do you, or a neighbour have cctv that could have caught the act ? that would be good evidence.

My cctv captured everything

Perfectly functioning toilet, but he still did this. Needless to say that he did not wash his hand after.

To try and cover himself, he is claiming that the toilet was not functioning, which is an absolute lie

I cannot trust him or his work with my back turned.

 

[^woody^]

I would like to bring another tradesman in as I do not have a functioning bathroom at present.

Shall I hold off or is it okay to obtain quotes and bring someone else in asap?

Normally, you would need to try to resolve differences and reach an agreement (to carry on work or to end your agreement) and then settle the bills and instruct another. The problem in just getting someone else in and just dismissing the original contractor is that its technically a breach of contract, and who is to say that this other person is not your friend who is going to do the work cheaper?

However in this situation, the threats and the condition of the work would already make the contract breached already and either frustrated or voided. And the need to get a working bathroom usable, would mean that you would be entitled to instruct another contractor to finish the work as soon as possible.

That would basically be the legal position, but whether the contractor would be intrested in that is another matter, in which case you could pay him and tell him to do one with out fear of any claim - but if there was you have a good defence and counter-claim. And your house insurance would normally cover you anyway.

It sounds like the most imortant thing at the moment is to be rid of the contractor and to get the work finished by others.

Incidentally, if you are minded to pursue your additional costs from this builder, then you should keep costs to "reasonable" amounts - ie no inflated or exhorbiant quotes to finish work on the basis that you can claim it back of the fitter.

 

[scbk]

I am serious - do you, or a neighbour have cctv that could have caught the act ? that would be good evidence.

Evidence!!

The guy was just having a wizz!


Not like he did a jobby on the doormat.

 

[phatboy]

Evidence!!

The guy was just having a wizz!
Not like he did a jobby on the doormat.

I've sent a trade away for ****ing on my lawn, the kids play there, and there was a perfectly functional toilet available in the house, or public ones about 100m away. It's at the very least dis-respectful.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Hmm. Was he supplying materials or were you? The threats and the public indecency are unacceptable under most circumstances but if he's been delayed by your procurement that won't have helped.

My bathroom fitter ...
For example, he decided not to prime the plasterboard before tanking.

I specifically requested moisture resistant plasterboard but due the current pandemic / bank holiday,I was unable to source some on the day.

Therefore, he decided to just use regular plasterboard and when I queried this, he muttered that I should ‘shut up’.

.....

Sacking him is fine. You owe him for time spent less a percentage for poor work. If he supplied materials and they're still fit for use/properly installed you owe him for them, if you supplied materials and he's destroyed them then take their value off his day rate.

 

[Johnson77]

Thanks for the comments guys

The tradesman has stated that if i do not pay his (inflated) invoice in full, then he will proceed with legal action

His invoice totals £600

However from quotes received, the value of the work is not above £415

Is it worth paying the £415, as he has stated that he will proceed with legal action if the invoice is not paid in full

 

[Mottie]

Personally, I’d just pay the £415 giving him a written reason why. I doubt very much that he will instigate legal proceedings with all the time and costs involved for the remaining £185.

 

[^woody^]

Yes as above - if you think that is what is owed, otherwise reduce it.
And remind him that you will counterclaim for your costs of ( insert figure) , instruct an expert to report on the quality and value of the work, and bring the threats to the attention of the court.