Loft Conversion Coventry/Warwickshire - Warning

[mikeym666]

I accept that this may not be the best place to post this, but if i can help others then its got to be worth it:

A Loft Conversion Company (Coventry - PM if you need the name) were contracted to undertake a loft conversion and associated work to my
property, quoted as £25,000 for the construction of a loft room, cloakroom and changes to the property's water and heating system.
A number of Quality issues were highlighted throughout the work, with
various damages and unfinished items identified toward the end and communicated to the Lofts Company directly.

The snag list was never fully acknowledged and the remaining work and quality issues never resolved. They demanded the last payment early, which was reluctantly paid on the understanding that the outstanding items would be completed, however no Planning permission, Part P and
Completion documentation was received until 2 months later after being chased by myself.

The Loft company still haven't completed the outstanding issues 4 months on, and do not respond to my recorded delivery letters, various emails and answer phone messages.

It goes without saying that i will be persueing this legally, but the emotional/mental anguish that this has caused, you cant put a price on that!!. Please Learn from my mistakes and good luck.

 

[alittlerespect]

If you really wish to learn you will need to put the past behind you, and treat the mistake you made as a lesson learnt - big mistake giving in to the contractor and giving him all the money especially when the job was not completed to your satisfaction -as you have since learnt you now have no leverage to get him to come back.


If you think you've been put through a mill then think again - if you go down the legal route you will find yourself even more anguished and out of pocket at the same time - spend the money you would have spent on legal beavers rectifying the work, and then get on with your life!!

The other option is a baptism in fire and the whole situation will take over your life and your bank account!!

Regards

 

[^woody^]

How can one treat a significant major building project as a "lesson learned" and "move on". It's not doing a bit of wall papering, where one may think to do something slightly differently next time. It needs sorting out.

Taking legal action is not a waste of time, and using the small claims track there need not be any legal fees - win or lose. So all it could cost is the court application fee and a little time in preparing the claim.

Local council trading standards can help too - and will be interested in bad companies. Household insurance polcies may allow for assisting in claims or rectificatiion work

 

[mikeym666]

Thanks Woody,
yes i have learnt a lesson, but i just wanted to point out that i am an average guy wanting to improve his house for his family, and that i fell into a big trap that i never thought was possible, call me silly, but i trusted people.

I guess my angle is that legal action needs to be taken so that this Builder thinks twice about doing this again to another 'average guy'.

Mike

 

[mikeym666]

Just an update regarding this...
I have taken the builder in question to court, they challenged/defended the claim meaning that it went to County Court, however they failed to complete the relevant documents in the specified time. Therefore the court awarded a Judgement to me the claimant.

Therefore, i have won the case, but whether i get the money is another thing.

Please note that these builders are based in Coventry and are Loft Convertors, if you need further information pm me, i suppose i could quote their name, but lets wait until they have paid me

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Good man!

 

[Deluks]

Cool. And if you don't get the cash, the unpaid CCJ will come back and bite him on the arse in the future.

 

[mikeym666]

Update:

Seems the Loft Company do not want to pay, i guess i will have to serve a warrent.

Its such as shame thats it come to this, why cant things be simple, and why is there always someone trying rip you off.

 

[mikeym666]

As they have no intention to complete the work, or pay me back although a judgement has been made against them, and they seem incapable of communication its only right that i warn anyone in the Coventry, Leamington Spa and Warwickshire area of JUST LOFTS based in COVENTRY.

Do not make full payment until entirely satisfied!, or seek alternate builders.

Good luck

 

[mikeym666]

JUST LOFTS

Just an update.

The builders have dissapeared, as it seems i am one of many that have been ripped off.

 

[alittlerespect]

Hi

I haven't been keeping up to date with this discussion, and I would like to say that my comments may have been a bit 'frank' but they were not directed or meant to be taken as criticism of Mikey.
It is all too easy to make mistakes when we are in unknown territory and Mikey's is not an isolated case! Hopefully others reading this thread will find the comments constructive and allow them to be more alert if they find themselves in a situation similar to Mikey's.

Insofar as moving on is concerned, with each event in life there are usually 3 options available - stay put, move forward or go backwards, regretfully some events never allow the opportunity to go backwards, and you are stuck with either moving forward or staying put and sometimes staying put is not an available option either - so there then becomes only one option and that is to move forward and everything you leave behind becomes a lesson in life - even if some of the experiences leave a bitter taste.

Regards

 

[Nige F]

Dontya just love the UK version of the Free Market Economy and The Housing Market...Unregulated Trades etc. ad nauseam. Not the best area of Life to " learn lessons "in... Though probably the best Industry to have been in . I`ve never paid for any build maintenance/work (or car servicing) until now And I do now, because I choose to. Must have saved ££££Thousands over the years.