Late invoice for unfinished work. Advice please.
Discussion
A year ago, we hired a handyman to do a few small carpentry jobs.
Halfway through the week he went AWOL and wouldn't answer any of my wife's calls.
I managed to call him from a different number a week later and he said he'd had some personal problems and promised to come back and finish the job.
He didn't and that was the last we'd heard from him until we received an invoice today from his book keeper for the three days work.
We dispute the invoice based on the fact we had to pay another company to rectify and finish his half done work.
As yet, I've not replied to the invoice. What to do?
Halfway through the week he went AWOL and wouldn't answer any of my wife's calls.
I managed to call him from a different number a week later and he said he'd had some personal problems and promised to come back and finish the job.
He didn't and that was the last we'd heard from him until we received an invoice today from his book keeper for the three days work.
We dispute the invoice based on the fact we had to pay another company to rectify and finish his half done work.
As yet, I've not replied to the invoice. What to do?
Reply, and dispute the need to pay it. If they ever follow up with court action to try and enforce the invoice then make sure you have paperwork for the rectification and completion work. Might also help if you have anything written from his original quote, and dates written down for all the events. In the circumstances described, it sounds like he'd be silly to pursue this in court.
spookly said:
Reply, and dispute the need to pay it. If they ever follow up with court action to try and enforce the invoice then make sure you have paperwork for the rectification and completion work. Might also help if you have anything written from his original quote, and dates written down for all the events. In the circumstances described, it sounds like he'd be silly to pursue this in court.
Thanks, I only have quotes from previous work which was carried out and paid for in good time. I have replied to dispute the invoice and will wait for the reply. Eddieslofart said:
Toltec said:
What was the difference between what he quoted and what you had to pay to complete the work? I'd say that gives a starting point for the value of the work he did before abandoning the job.
Agreed.If the answer is a negative number, make him aware in any further communication you have that you owe him nothing.
Yes his disappearance would have been a pita for you (gone through it myself!) but you have to be demonstrably reasonable and have logic to any offer even if it isn't going to end up in a court case. Who wants an angry tradesman on their doorstep?
I suspect he was hoping you had forgotten about it and would just pay up, my view would be subtract the cost of the second contractor and pay the balance assuming his work was acceptable. Why should you be out of pocket.
I would believe he is in breach of contract as he didn't complete the agreed work.
I would believe he is in breach of contract as he didn't complete the agreed work.
Why do people think this guy deserves a penny? He walked away without completing the work and went radio silent. You could argue that he did some work and that saved you money but I find that argument doubtful. In my experience tradespeople hate having to complete half finished jobs.
It involves them having to finish a job that might have been bodged or done incorrectly; many won't touch such jobs. if the guy wanted to get paid, he shouldn't have walked off and gone radio silent.
It involves them having to finish a job that might have been bodged or done incorrectly; many won't touch such jobs. if the guy wanted to get paid, he shouldn't have walked off and gone radio silent.
bartelbe said:
Why do people think this guy deserves a penny? He walked away without completing the work and went radio silent. You could argue that he did some work and that saved you money but I find that argument doubtful. In my experience tradespeople hate having to complete half finished jobs.
It involves them having to finish a job that might have been bodged or done incorrectly; many won't touch such jobs. if the guy wanted to get paid, he shouldn't have walked off and gone radio silent.
Because he still did workIt involves them having to finish a job that might have been bodged or done incorrectly; many won't touch such jobs. if the guy wanted to get paid, he shouldn't have walked off and gone radio silent.
If you get asked to do something at your day job then when home sick would you still expect to be paid for the hours you did?
As long as the work done was an accetable standard they did to find some middle ground as to payment with the contractor
Chris32345 said:
bartelbe said:
Why do people think this guy deserves a penny? He walked away without completing the work and went radio silent. You could argue that he did some work and that saved you money but I find that argument doubtful. In my experience tradespeople hate having to complete half finished jobs.
It involves them having to finish a job that might have been bodged or done incorrectly; many won't touch such jobs. if the guy wanted to get paid, he shouldn't have walked off and gone radio silent.
Because he still did workIt involves them having to finish a job that might have been bodged or done incorrectly; many won't touch such jobs. if the guy wanted to get paid, he shouldn't have walked off and gone radio silent.
If you get asked to do something at your day job then when home sick would you still expect to be paid for the hours you did?
Went AWOL.
Didn't respond to attempts to contact.
Didn't come back to complete the job.
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