Received a threatening invoice in lieu of work not finished
Discussion
Received this invoice via a hand delivered envelope - since I've been away from home the last few days, don't know when it was delivered and there's no date on it.
Completion of consumer unit
Present amout outstanding £140
If you wish me to fit RCD and get signed off
Total amount then due will be £300
Total amout due to date £140
Payment outstanding after 14 days will incur an interest charge of 10% on a monthly basis.
This is part of a renovation/decorating job that I actioned in January to be finished by March at the very latest as I wanted a Spring sale - Decorating job was done in dribs and drabs and still not properly completed in June when I gave up on them. Their ladder is still down the side of my driveway, and I've given up asking for them to retrieve it.
The guy that has sent the invoice needs a proper qualified sparky to sign the work off, said sparky came round and said it was a bodge job and he couldn't sign it off. The guy has already been given £200 cash for fitting the consumer unit, and was to get £300 cash when it was signed off by qualified sparky.
I'm a little surprised by the threatening invoice, the finishing/signing off work still needs to be done - but I'd just given up on them as a bad 'cowboy job' and not to use them again.
Any suggestions as to what I should do?
Completion of consumer unit
Present amout outstanding £140
If you wish me to fit RCD and get signed off
Total amount then due will be £300
Total amout due to date £140
Payment outstanding after 14 days will incur an interest charge of 10% on a monthly basis.
This is part of a renovation/decorating job that I actioned in January to be finished by March at the very latest as I wanted a Spring sale - Decorating job was done in dribs and drabs and still not properly completed in June when I gave up on them. Their ladder is still down the side of my driveway, and I've given up asking for them to retrieve it.
The guy that has sent the invoice needs a proper qualified sparky to sign the work off, said sparky came round and said it was a bodge job and he couldn't sign it off. The guy has already been given £200 cash for fitting the consumer unit, and was to get £300 cash when it was signed off by qualified sparky.
I'm a little surprised by the threatening invoice, the finishing/signing off work still needs to be done - but I'd just given up on them as a bad 'cowboy job' and not to use them again.
Any suggestions as to what I should do?
What do you want to do?
Personally I'd be inclined to advise them that the works undertaken thus far are completed to an unacceptable and negligent standard. It is your position that you are being required, as a direct result of their negligence, to engage another contractor to complete the works to the required standard - namely a standard sufficient to comply with (Part P?)........
Any claim for interest is denied as not being part of the contract when formed. Any additional term is unilateral and not acceptable. (8% per annum is the court approved rate).
When you engaged them did they know it was time dependant? If yes, then I'd be inclied to also suggest that they have failed to comply with that term of the contract and any losses you suffer as a result of that will be claimed from them when appropriate.
Personally I'd be inclined to advise them that the works undertaken thus far are completed to an unacceptable and negligent standard. It is your position that you are being required, as a direct result of their negligence, to engage another contractor to complete the works to the required standard - namely a standard sufficient to comply with (Part P?)........
Any claim for interest is denied as not being part of the contract when formed. Any additional term is unilateral and not acceptable. (8% per annum is the court approved rate).
When you engaged them did they know it was time dependant? If yes, then I'd be inclied to also suggest that they have failed to comply with that term of the contract and any losses you suffer as a result of that will be claimed from them when appropriate.
Percy Flage said:
Did your sparky give you a written notice saying he could not/would not sign it off? I'd return the invoice unpaid with a polite note to explain why.
No he didn't - he was working on behalf of another company that 'unqualified electrician' uses to have his work signed off.The real sparky said he would have done it for £350 and the box used was just a cheapy Wickes job and he'd supply a much better one.There is another side to this..re the decorating that has been done and I already paid £1900 cash for, they only seemed to be available to work when I wasn't there to keep an eye on them. Afterwards I found a few paint spots on various carpets and other objects - so they hadn't used dust cloths as they said they would. This is mainly why I don't want him in my house again.
Jasandjules said:
What do you want to do?
Personally I'd be inclined to advise them that the works undertaken thus far are completed to an unacceptable and negligent standard. It is your position that you are being required, as a direct result of their negligence, to engage another contractor to complete the works to the required standard - namely a standard sufficient to comply with (Part P?)........
Any claim for interest is denied as not being part of the contract when formed. Any additional term is unilateral and not acceptable. (8% per annum is the court approved rate).
When you engaged them did they know it was time dependant? If yes, then I'd be inclied to also suggest that they have failed to comply with that term of the contract and any losses you suffer as a result of that will be claimed from them when appropriate.
Nothing was written down at the start, but timescale and costs were verbally agreed. I'd said I wanted to put the house on the market for Spring ...so end of March was to be the target end date. They started in January... it's only a small house!Personally I'd be inclined to advise them that the works undertaken thus far are completed to an unacceptable and negligent standard. It is your position that you are being required, as a direct result of their negligence, to engage another contractor to complete the works to the required standard - namely a standard sufficient to comply with (Part P?)........
Any claim for interest is denied as not being part of the contract when formed. Any additional term is unilateral and not acceptable. (8% per annum is the court approved rate).
When you engaged them did they know it was time dependant? If yes, then I'd be inclied to also suggest that they have failed to comply with that term of the contract and any losses you suffer as a result of that will be claimed from them when appropriate.
I was getting slightly cross with them because they only seemed to be available when I needed to be out, so had to leave my keys with them...and also not able to keep an eye on what they were doing. They didn't respect my property ( used a freshly laundered pillow case as a duster/ paint spots on carpets/ lost a few non-expensive items). I gave up contacting them to remove their ladder about May time.
I did receive an earlier hand written note that he was available to fix the fuse box, but I just ignored it.
condor said:
Jasandjules said:
What do you want to do?
Personally I'd be inclined to advise them that the works undertaken thus far are completed to an unacceptable and negligent standard. It is your position that you are being required, as a direct result of their negligence, to engage another contractor to complete the works to the required standard - namely a standard sufficient to comply with (Part P?)........
Any claim for interest is denied as not being part of the contract when formed. Any additional term is unilateral and not acceptable. (8% per annum is the court approved rate).
When you engaged them did they know it was time dependant? If yes, then I'd be inclied to also suggest that they have failed to comply with that term of the contract and any losses you suffer as a result of that will be claimed from them when appropriate.
Nothing was written down at the start, but timescale and costs were verbally agreed. I'd said I wanted to put the house on the market for Spring ...so end of March was to be the target end date. They started in January... it's only a small house!Personally I'd be inclined to advise them that the works undertaken thus far are completed to an unacceptable and negligent standard. It is your position that you are being required, as a direct result of their negligence, to engage another contractor to complete the works to the required standard - namely a standard sufficient to comply with (Part P?)........
Any claim for interest is denied as not being part of the contract when formed. Any additional term is unilateral and not acceptable. (8% per annum is the court approved rate).
When you engaged them did they know it was time dependant? If yes, then I'd be inclied to also suggest that they have failed to comply with that term of the contract and any losses you suffer as a result of that will be claimed from them when appropriate.
I was getting slightly cross with them because they only seemed to be available when I needed to be out, so had to leave my keys with them...and also not able to keep an eye on what they were doing. They didn't respect my property ( used a freshly laundered pillow case as a duster/ paint spots on carpets/ lost a few non-expensive items). I gave up contacting them to remove their ladder about May time.
I did receive an earlier hand written note that he was available to fix the fuse box, but I just ignored it.
condor said:
Nothing was written down at the start, but timescale and costs were verbally agreed. I'd said I wanted to put the house on the market for Spring ...so end of March was to be the target end date. They started in January... it's only a small house!
I was getting slightly cross with them because they only seemed to be available when I needed to be out, so had to leave my keys with them...and also not able to keep an eye on what they were doing. They didn't respect my property ( used a freshly laundered pillow case as a duster/ paint spots on carpets/ lost a few non-expensive items). I gave up contacting them to remove their ladder about May time.
I did receive an earlier hand written note that he was available to fix the fuse box, but I just ignored it.
Ok then I'd stick with my original view I think. You can add that there was a verbal agreement of a fundamental term to complete the works by March and they breached that too. I was getting slightly cross with them because they only seemed to be available when I needed to be out, so had to leave my keys with them...and also not able to keep an eye on what they were doing. They didn't respect my property ( used a freshly laundered pillow case as a duster/ paint spots on carpets/ lost a few non-expensive items). I gave up contacting them to remove their ladder about May time.
I did receive an earlier hand written note that he was available to fix the fuse box, but I just ignored it.
I should also point out that you will give due consideration to the question of further damages relating to the losses and damage to your property whilst they undertook work in your property.
I would probably also give them 7 days to collect their ladder thereafter you will dispose of it at their cost.
The downside being that he said he could fix the box....... Can I take it he is not a qualified sparky? But you were happy for him to try to fix it in the first place?
Jasandjules said:
The downside being that he said he could fix the box....... Can I take it he is not a qualified sparky? But you were happy for him to try to fix it in the first place?
He said he was a sparky, but he couldn't sign off his own work and a part p? registered sparky would have to do it. He said because he didn't have that particular qualification he paid another company to provide a registered sparky that would sign the work off in that company's name.Since I knew he'd done a lot of the electrical work at a pub ( that was opposite the shop I used to have) - I didn't doubt him.
condor said:
Jasandjules said:
The downside being that he said he could fix the box....... Can I take it he is not a qualified sparky? But you were happy for him to try to fix it in the first place?
He said he was a sparky, but he couldn't sign off his own work and a part p? registered sparky would have to do it. He said because he didn't have that particular qualification he paid another company to provide a registered sparky that would sign the work off in that company's name.Since I knew he'd done a lot of the electrical work at a pub ( that was opposite the shop I used to have) - I didn't doubt him.
for a start.Qualified sparks should only sign off their own work and no one unqualified should be cocking around with consumer units.
If the crowd he's getting in to sign off put their name to it and they miss a fault and the house burns down, god forbid with someone in it, guess who will be left with egg on their face?
Simpo Two said:
condor said:
Payment outstanding after 14 days will incur an interest charge of 10% on a monthly basis.
Only if this was made clear when you made the contract. It's amusing when f
kwits get out of their box.I do have invoice/receipts for the decorating work - which included a few minor electrical jobs, but not the fuse box work.
condor said:
The guy that has sent the invoice needs a proper qualified sparky to sign the work off, said sparky came round and said it was a bodge job and he couldn't sign it off. ... Any suggestions as to what I should do?
I wouldn't worry about the ins and outs of what should have been. Your real problem is that it appears to have been a bodge job. You just need to get a good electrician in to do the job.Plotloss said:
condor said:
Jasandjules said:
The downside being that he said he could fix the box....... Can I take it he is not a qualified sparky? But you were happy for him to try to fix it in the first place?
He said he was a sparky, but he couldn't sign off his own work and a part p? registered sparky would have to do it. He said because he didn't have that particular qualification he paid another company to provide a registered sparky that would sign the work off in that company's name.Since I knew he'd done a lot of the electrical work at a pub ( that was opposite the shop I used to have) - I didn't doubt him.
for a start.Qualified sparks should only sign off their own work and no one unqualified should be cocking around with consumer units.
If the crowd he's getting in to sign off put their name to it and they miss a fault and the house burns down, god forbid with someone in it, guess who will be left with egg on their face?
condor said:
He said he was a sparky, but he couldn't sign off his own work and a part p? registered sparky would have to do it. He said because he didn't have that particular qualification he paid another company to provide a registered sparky that would sign the work off in that company's name.
Since I knew he'd done a lot of the electrical work at a pub ( that was opposite the shop I used to have) - I didn't doubt him.
Uh, Sparkys have to be Part P as I understand it now to work in residential properties full stop.Since I knew he'd done a lot of the electrical work at a pub ( that was opposite the shop I used to have) - I didn't doubt him.
But in any event as that sparky has refused to sign off then that is pretty telling is it not!?!?
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