What Would You Do - Electrician Vanished

What Would You Do - Electrician Vanished

Author
Discussion

tleefox

Original Poster:

1,110 posts

147 months

Wednesday 16th January 2019
quotequote all
I'll set the scene.

We did a big extension and knock through last year, and had planned to rewire the rest of the house at the same time, but in the end couldn't be bothered with the upheaval so decided not to bother.

We employed an electrician with a very good reputation who has worked for me and contacts of mine before to a high standard and without issue. I explained to him mid-way through the extension that we wouldn't be doing the full re-wire in 1 go and would probably pick off a room at a time, so asked him to requote for the extension / knock through and doing an rewire to 1 of the existing bedrooms which we planned to do immediately after completing the extension / knock through, which he did and we agreed on that, on the understanding that the bedroom would be a separate visit when we were ready.

When he invoiced me for the extension / knock through he did so for the full amount of the quote i.e. including the works to rewire the bedroom. Via message (so I have the message saved) I agreed I'd pay him the full amount subject to him agreeing to come back to do the spare room, which he agreed to. Admittedly this was a big mistake but given his reputation and the relationship I had with him, I had no reason to doubt him at this point.

We finished the extension / knock through and started to think about redoing the bedroom towards mid-November - I contacted him several times via text message asking him to let me know what his availability was, with no response at all.

I then messaged him in the New Year via Whatsapp so I could see that he is reading the messages asking what the situation was as we need to get on with the work and we've paid him for it. He responded stating he is not working at the moment due to having to provide end of life care for his mother, which he had no idea how long would be the case. Fully understand that and if true obviously he has other things on his plate.

I'm trying to work with him and be reasonable as best I can and have said if he can give us a date in a month, 2 months, 3 months that is fine as we know where we stand, but have had no response. I've then sent another message saying he clearly can't commit to it so either a) he pays someone else to do it (I know he does sometimes sub his work out to others) or b) he reimburses us the cost to pay someone else to do it, which again he has not responded to.

So I'm a bit stuck really and not sure what to do next. I'm not sure whether it's worth considering Small Claims Court given I have all of the correspondence documented, or whether I should assemble a team of heavily built company director types and sit on his front step?

If it was a couple of hundred £ I'd leave it, but from talking to other electricians the cost will be anywhere between £600-£1000, which I haven't got kicking around at the moment, especially not when I've already paid him to do it!


maccas99

1,697 posts

187 months

Wednesday 16th January 2019
quotequote all
This is a tricky one and if the end of life care is indeed true then you could be in for a bit of a wait. Trades aren't the best at communicating when they are operating normally plus they are always getting bombarded with "can you give me a quote for this and that etc".

If it were me, I would leave it until the end of the month then try and call him. If no answer then maybe go and see CAB for advice?

TwistingMyMelon

6,385 posts

204 months

Wednesday 16th January 2019
quotequote all
Sounds like he isn't in a good place

Is it urgent ?

Have you tried ringing him ? Whatsapp isn't great for this kind of thing

Easternlight

3,424 posts

143 months

Wednesday 16th January 2019
quotequote all
TwistingMyMelon said:
Sounds like he isn't in a good place

Is it urgent ?

Have you tried ringing him ? Whatsapp isn't great for this kind of thing
Or even go and talk to him face to face?!

Phones and messages are very easy to ignore.

tleefox

Original Poster:

1,110 posts

147 months

Wednesday 16th January 2019
quotequote all
TwistingMyMelon said:
Is it urgent ?

Have you tried ringing him ? Whatsapp isn't great for this kind of thing
Not desperate but needs to be done within the next few months, hence my asking him to give us some timescale even if it was a few months away.

And yes, tried ringing multiple times and left messages.

NormarkSuperswede

168 posts

62 months

Wednesday 16th January 2019
quotequote all
get someone else to call him to come and quote for a nice easy Job . See if he is up for it .Then fight !

Lemming Train

5,567 posts

71 months

Wednesday 16th January 2019
quotequote all
tleefox said:
I'll set the scene.

We did a big extension and knock through last year, and had planned to rewire the rest of the house at the same time, but in the end couldn't be bothered with the upheaval so decided not to bother.

We employed an electrician with a very good reputation who has worked for me and contacts of mine before to a high standard and without issue. I explained to him mid-way through the extension that we wouldn't be doing the full re-wire in 1 go and would probably pick off a room at a time, so asked him to requote for the extension / knock through and doing an rewire to 1 of the existing bedrooms which we planned to do immediately after completing the extension / knock through, which he did and we agreed on that, on the understanding that the bedroom would be a separate visit when we were ready.

When he invoiced me for the extension / knock through he did so for the full amount of the quote i.e. including the works to rewire the bedroom. Via message (so I have the message saved) I agreed I'd pay him the full amount subject to him agreeing to come back to do the spare room, which he agreed to. Admittedly this was a big mistake but given his reputation and the relationship I had with him, I had no reason to doubt him at this point.

We finished the extension / knock through and started to think about redoing the bedroom towards mid-November - I contacted him several times via text message asking him to let me know what his availability was, with no response at all.

I then messaged him in the New Year via Whatsapp so I could see that he is reading the messages asking what the situation was as we need to get on with the work and we've paid him for it. He responded stating he is not working at the moment due to having to provide end of life care for his mother, which he had no idea how long would be the case. Fully understand that and if true obviously he has other things on his plate.

I'm trying to work with him and be reasonable as best I can and have said if he can give us a date in a month, 2 months, 3 months that is fine as we know where we stand, but have had no response. I've then sent another message saying he clearly can't commit to it so either a) he pays someone else to do it (I know he does sometimes sub his work out to others) or b) he reimburses us the cost to pay someone else to do it, which again he has not responded to.

So I'm a bit stuck really and not sure what to do next. I'm not sure whether it's worth considering Small Claims Court given I have all of the correspondence documented, or whether I should assemble a team of heavily built company director types and sit on his front step?

If it was a couple of hundred £ I'd leave it, but from talking to other electricians the cost will be anywhere between £600-£1000, which I haven't got kicking around at the moment, especially not when I've already paid him to do it!
He's bullstting you and has done a runner with your money. 100%. His complete avoidance of your suggestion to sub it out (as he's done before) or refund you tells you all you need to know.

Spare tyre

9,460 posts

129 months

Wednesday 16th January 2019
quotequote all
Ask various friends to ask him to quote for work. If he responds you know he’s up to no good

Wings

5,811 posts

214 months

Wednesday 16th January 2019
quotequote all
I am in a similar situation with a builder, quoted 30 weeks to complete works, now in the fiftieth week, with broken promise after broken promise being offered. Meetings I receive verbal promises, which in later emails are either denied or additional differing excuses are made.

Very tedious having to converse with a builder/contractor, who wants to argue between "I said this, you said that" etc. etc.

Meeting builder on Friday of this week, when I will find no enjoyment in listening to lies and bullxxxxxg. Considering giving ultimatum, either complete works within xx period, otherwise i will engage another builder. Trouble with that is that replacement builder will see that i am in trouble, and price works accordingly.

tleefox

Original Poster:

1,110 posts

147 months

Thursday 17th January 2019
quotequote all
Spare tyre said:
Ask various friends to ask him to quote for work. If he responds you know he’s up to no good
Good idea - hadn't thought of this for some reason. Will probably leave for a few days to avoid arousing suspicion and will report back!