Drive getting redone bloke not turned up

[Sheepshanks]

V8 Fettler said:

I've given up trying to find trustworthy domestic tradesmen, it's easier to live with the gradual decline of the property and spend the money on something else.

I'm the same. Hardly touched the house in 30 years. Anything we do manage to get quotes for comes in at insane pricing.

The upside around here is that properties in need of refurb sell quickly and for little less than if in show-home condition.

[mcg_]

Sheepshanks said:

I'm the same. Hardly touched the house in 30 years. Anything we do manage to get quotes for comes in at insane pricing.

The upside around here is that properties in need of refurb sell quickly and for little less than if in show-home condition.

Down side is that you live in a house that's hardly been touched in 30 years

[woodyTVR]

I'm loving the sympathy for the guy. So his father passes away which presumably delays any jobs he's on as I'm guessing there was stuff to sort, you know, such as being upset and funerals etc.

He relays this to the OP and gives a rough guess when he'll be sorted. He's presumably finishing off the jobs he was supposed to complete last week and has kept in touch about the delays but the OP is reaching the end of his patience.

[Four Litre]

I understood from the thread that the Father dying was BS and he was working on other jobs and putting pics on facebook.

Therefore stringing the op along until he got round to his job.

[berlintaxi]

Sheepshanks said:

V8 Fettler said:

I've given up trying to find trustworthy domestic tradesmen, it's easier to live with the gradual decline of the property and spend the money on something else.

I'm the same. Hardly touched the house in 30 years. Anything we do manage to get quotes for comes in at insane pricing.

The upside around here is that properties in need of refurb sell quickly and for little less than if in show-home condition.

Bet your neighbours love living next door to you.

[Marcellus]

has he turned up yet?

[wjwren]

No, 3 mins to go

[Dog Star]

berlintaxi said:

Bet your neighbours love living next door to you.

My dad did this - wouldn't have tradesmen even step on the property, so over a forty year period (I remember the day he started) he started changing things, doing stuff himself. The trouble is that he was a ridiculous perfectionist (thing of the sort of person who planes noggins in stud walls, countersinks the screws etc) and so jobs took years and not one ever got finished. Before painting a window frame for example he would insist that it was sanded back to bare, smooth wood. Consequently it never got done and windows would eventually literally fall out of frames. There was a tarp over the front of the house.

In 1990 (I think - I know I was living in France) there was a huge storm (https://www.netweather.tv/forum/topic/27190-the-great-storm-of-25th-january-1990/) and they lost a significant proportion of the tiles on the roof - and it was a big roof. He wouldn't have a company come and replace the tiles ("They'll rip me off and just put grey cardboard up there and scarper" was his reason) so he just had the insurance pay for the tiles which were stacked at the side of the house. There they stayed.

Then there were the leaking substantial flat rooves - again tarped over with slabs holding the tarps down.

Kitchen partially fitted in 1986 - it's still the same now. None of the cupboards have door handles as "the holes need accurately measuring".

Lets not mention their caravan (bought 1974) that's collapsing round the side of the house, along with my sister's 1966 Beetle which is just a crumbling pile of rust.

Bear in mind that my dad isn't some scrote or whatever - he's a very respected member of the medical profession, it's a lovely big house in a lovely area. If I had been a neighbour I'd have been going absolutely ballistic. He cannot see this - to him to neighbours are all utter tossers.

There came a point in the mid '80s that I could no longer have schoolmates back to the house, it got too much.

Anyway - my point to this - a couple of years ago he eventually got a mate of mine in who he likes and who's a cracking buiilder and they had the whole place done in one fell swoop - rooves (with flat being replaced by peaked - and at last using the tiles purchased in 1990!!!), windows, some walls, bits of the inside, drive - the whole lot. The place easily looks the best house around it. Great job.

What pisses me off is that in reality he has saved no money at all, as it all needed doing in the end, but he's made my mother live in those conditions for the last 40 years. All for a bit of maintenance.

[Sheepshanks]

Dog Star said:

berlintaxi said:

Bet your neighbours love living next door to you.

My dad did this - wouldn't have tradesmen even step on the property,

I did say "hardly" - the house looks fine (inside and out). Windows, doors, facias etc are all plastic. Inside it could do with rewiring, the CH replacing, re-plastering and the main bathroom replacing, Kitchen was done quite a few years ago but was custom made and the appliances are all integrated so looks fine - there's no drawers / doors hanging off etc.

There seems to be a hard ceiling on the price of these houses. Over the last few months a couple of identical houses have come up for sale that both were in much worse overall condition (one has the facias rotted through) and both sold for the absolute bog-standard price these houses go for.

[Dog Star]

Sheepshanks said:

I did say "hardly" - the house looks fine (inside and out).

Sorry - I was by no means implying that your property would compare; what I described above was probably the worst example of private home neglect that I have ever seen. I used to be so ashamed.

Sheepshanks said:

There seems to be a hard ceiling on the price of these houses

I'd agree that is the case with many properties - regardless of the condition they are in. It's basically down to "what is a x bedroom, (semi-)detached/terraced house with(out) garden/garage worth in this area".

[AndStilliRise]

OP, has he turned up yet?

[wjwren]

Nope. Tried calling no answer. fks sake!

[wjwren]

Can anyone advise (sensibly) what is the best course of legal action I could take please?
I believe he lives with his girlfriend - her house is up for sale ive seen on the net, looks to be like she split up from her ex maybe as her ex was also registered at that address.

Im thinking assets wise and if he has anything to be repossessed should it come to small claims court / high court.

[photosnob]

wjwren said:

Can anyone advise (sensibly) what is the best course of legal action I could take please?
I believe he lives with his girlfriend - her house is up for sale ive seen on the net, looks to be like she split up from her ex maybe as her ex was also registered at that address.

Im thinking assets wise and if he has anything to be repossessed should it come to small claims court / high court.

Why not just drive to his place and wait? i'm not suggesting you get aggressive. Just say you have had enough and want your money back.

[Monkeylegend]

Leave a review on his FB page and request a refund.

[xjay1337]

photosnob said:

wjwren said:

Can anyone advise (sensibly) what is the best course of legal action I could take please?
I believe he lives with his girlfriend - her house is up for sale ive seen on the net, looks to be like she split up from her ex maybe as her ex was also registered at that address.

Im thinking assets wise and if he has anything to be repossessed should it come to small claims court / high court.

Why not just drive to his place and wait? i'm not suggesting you get aggressive. Just say you have had enough and want your money back.

Do that ^


Also text him and request a refund.

Also, consider getting better mates.

Hopefully this is not one of those "rouge trader" types.

[joshcowin]

Speak to him, say you want the money back.

See what he says

[CAPP0]

xjay1337 said:

Hopefully this is not one of those "rouge trader" types.

Like this chap?

[xjay1337]

Ha ha - very good.

I am ashamed of myself.

[imdeman87]

wjwren said:

Can anyone advise (sensibly) what is the best course of legal action I could take please?
I believe he lives with his girlfriend - her house is up for sale ive seen on the net, looks to be like she split up from her ex maybe as her ex was also registered at that address.

Im thinking assets wise and if he has anything to be repossessed should it come to small claims court / high court.

For now, just leave a 'strong' message or review on his Facebook page. If you're particularly p****d off, leave a Google review too.

Visiting his home address is another option, but I'd keep it calm (for now).

Didn't your friend recommend this tradesman? What does he think of this? Does he use him regularly? Maybe he could have a quiet word to kick his arse into gear...

If you get nowhere with any/all of the above, then take it to small claims court or Judge Rinder if you want 15 minutes of fame.