Tree work which went wrong

[skyetom]

Edited to protect the guilty. Thanks for all feedback.

I got the outcome I wanted but I'll leave the part below so that anyone else reading this knows a little of the background

So, right now I have

• a bill I don't want to pay as the work wasn't what I wanted to be done
• no tree
• a damaged fence
• lots of hassle to come on top of what's happened already
• a contractor who claims to be insured for damages and "every eventuality"
• the likelihood that he sold my tree for firewood!

Thanks
Skyetom

Edited by skyetom on Thursday 20th October 01:59

[skyetom]

Thanks for the replies!

The cost to completely remove the tree would have been less than the price quoted for the re-shaping because re-shaping takes time and skill. Chopping it down is less work.

andye30m3 - your point is the one which is in my mind too. A replacement 40 ft tree (or even a 20 ft tree) would cost a fortune; much more than the value of the invoice we were sent. The time and money the contractor has spent removing the stump and fixing my fence should not be a factor as these are things that never should have been required in the first place had the job been completed correctly.

There has been a big development since I put up the first post: the business owner just called my wife to say that there would be no charge. He's had a re-think apparently and thinks that we should call it quits. It's a good result I suppose and what we wanted when he started talking about lawyers.

Thanks again to everyone who commented!

Skyetom

[skyetom]

There were no TPOs. We had this checked about 3 years ago when the same guy removed another tree for us. (One we did ask to have removed!)

This is why the job was messed up apparently - the boss sent the contractor the instructions relating to the first job rather than the second one. Schoolboy error...

[skyetom]

s3fella said:

dont forget he's had the wood from the tree, too..... worth up to £100?

This was the point that was probably most annoying. He would indeed have got a fair amount for the wood.

Part of me is still quite keen to pursue the guy seeing as he tried to put the wind up us over the payment but I think it's time to let everything settle down as the damage is done and the tree isn't coming back.

Thanks again for the replies

Skyetom