Dealing With Harassment and Intimidation from a Tradesman

I employed a builder for a fixed price project covering 3 areas in my house. The first 2 weeks went well and then work got progressively slower. At the end of week 4 I have now paid 50% of the agreed price but only 1 of the projects has been completd. From the 20 days that the contractor could have been on site to keep the project on track he has only been here 12. I have raised my concerns and stated that the job is not on schedule but he disputes this and is still demanding weekly payments. I have told him I am happy to pay prorata payments based on the work completed but he is now treating legal action if I don't comply to his payment plan. I have had 2 other contractors on the project with no issues regarding their work or payments. What can I do as I feel very intimidated by a builder who has been overpaid for the work completed and who's behaviour is becoming more threatening?

Steve - 1-Nov-23 @ 5:04 AM

We employed a fencer to undertake erection of 4 x stockproof fencing lines which border land around our house (some 420 metres in total).After some 3-4 weeks (and with my assistance with much of the clearance work and putting in posts), we remonstrated with him over the time it was taking, due to his poor time keeping and project management, and/or by his design.He then left the site, partially taking down the only one small section he had completed.We then agreed with him to come back and to satisfactorily complete all the work on the 4 fence lines in 2 weeks for a remaining total balance of £3500; with release of 1/5th of the balance with each fence line and the remaining 2/5th after all work was completed satisfactorily.He never complied with specifics within this agreement, but completed all but one fence line satisfactorily; and we immediately released 1/5ths of the remaining balance on completion of each fence line.The last fence was a post and rail fence to our garden whose design was at his insistence; but was very slipshod and poorly constructed and not Stockproof or dog proof as requested; nor did he undertake an inspection of any fence lines with us, as we had stipulated on his return. At his earlier insistence he had also advised on mains electrification, but he never finished connecting this on the fence lines/gateways either.We have now had his latter post and rail Fencing removed and replaced with more appropriate fencing and connected the electrics at our expense.He is today now demanding full payment of the remaining balance by tomorrow at 1600 hrs or will start legal proceedings.To date he has been paid £5100.We suggested deducting the cost of this work from the remaining balance, but he is not happy with this and is demanding his full remaining balance of £1400.Any advice with respect to his threat of legal action would be appreciated.

Dave - 4-Aug-20 @ 11:32 AM

We employed a fencer to undertake erection of 4 x stockproof fencing lines which border land around our house (some 420 metres in total).After some 3-4 weeks (and with my assistance with much of the clearance work and putting in posts), we remonstrated with him over the time it was taking, due to his poor time keeping and project management, and/or by his design.He then left the site, partially taking down the only one small section he had completed.We then agreed with him to come back and to satisfactorily complete all the work on the 4 fence lines in 2 weeks for a remaining total balance of £3500; with release of 1/5th of the balance with each fence line and the remaining 2/5th after all work was completed satisfactorily.He never complied with specifics within this agreement, but completed all but one fence line satisfactorily; and we immediately released 1/5ths of the remaining balance on completion of each fence line.The last fence was a post and rail fence to our garden whose design was at his insistence; but was very slipshod and poorly constructed and not Stockproof or dog proof as requested; nor did he undertake an inspection of any fence lines with us, as we had stipulated on his return. At his earlier insistence he had also advised on mains electrification, but he never finished connecting this on the fence lines/gateways either.We have now had his latter post and rail Fencing removed and replaced with more appropriate fencing and connected the electrics at our expense.He is today now demanding full payment of the remaining balance by tomorrow at 1600 hrs or will start legal proceedings.To date he has been paid £5100.We suggested deducting the cost of this work from the remaining balance, but he is not happy with this and is demanding his full remaining balance of £1400.Any advice with respect to his threat of legal action would be appreciated.

Dave - 3-Aug-20 @ 5:32 PM

My tenant found a fence fixer to fix a fence blown down in the recent storms. He quoted the tenant £350, who asked me if it should go ahead. I (the landlord) took over and spoke to the person, who said it was £600. I agreed. A day later, he bought the materials and the next morning asked for 50% (£300) up front. I sent it by 10am. He said it would take a day. At 1.30pm I went out to the shops with my wife for 2 hours, returning at 3.30pm, having left my phone with my daughter to study on. When I returned, I found that mid afternoon, my tenants (who had nothing to do with this transaction) had been forced to find £300 or threatened with the fence being ripped out because he could not contact me. I was not contactable for two hours and had no reason to think that I would be needed so early and could not believe he would go to such lengths so quickly. Is this reasonable? The tenants were (again) told that the job was for £300 or £350 and told the tenant that I had only paid £100 and they needed another £300. This was clearly deceiving the tenant into thinking they were charging £350 or £400. They were forced to pay and sign the receipt and a waiver in my absence, obviously fearing that if they ripped out the fence, I might not want to take a £300 hit and then start again getting a new fencer, so they were clearly in a very difficult and intimidating situation. Two issues here. 1. Intimidation to pay or threats to destroy the fence. 2. if the tenant paid, and the tenant was told £350, then I paid £250 too much. Who’s quote stands? This trader has clearly been very dodgy and amateur throughout, being very evasive as to who he is, the company, the account, putting things in writing, demanding money and being like a dog with a bone. Even when I was on the phone getting his bank details, he was asking me if I’d sent it yet. The tenants are afraid of him and don’t want trouble, e.g. if I take this further as they know where they live. Is this a police matter and/or a civil matter? Is it costly to pursue? Should I write a review on the trade website? Who could or should I contact? He did a shoddy job too and I explicitly told him to send photos before payment and only contact me and the invoice should come to me.I have no photos, the invoice says what he wanted it to and was forced to be signed by the tenant. This is a seriously bad egg.

Steve - 22-Mar-20 @ 9:46 PM

My tenant found a fence fixer to fix a fence blown down in the recent storms. He quoted the tenant £350, who asked me if it should go ahead. I (the landlord) took over and spoke to the person, who said it was £600. I agreed. A day later, he bought the materials and the next morning asked for 50% (£300) up front. I sent it by 10am. He said it would take a day. At 1.30pm I went out to the shops with my wife for 2 hours, returning at 3.30pm, having left my phone with my daughter to study on. When I returned, I found that mid afternoon, my tenants (who had nothing to do with this transaction) had been forced to find £300 or threatened with the fence being ripped out because he could not contact me. I was not contactable for two hours and had no reason to think that I would be needed so early and could not believe he would go to such lengths so quickly. Is this reasonable? The tenants were (again) told that the job was for £300 or £350 and told the tenant that I had only paid £100 and they needed another £300. This was clearly deceiving the tenant into thinking they were charging £350 or £400. They were forced to pay and sign the receipt and a waiver in my absence, obviously fearing that if they ripped out the fence, I might not want to take a £300 hit and then start again getting a new fencer, so they were clearly in a very difficult and intimidating situation. Two issues here. 1. Intimidation to pay or threats to destroy the fence. 2. if the tenant paid, and the tenant was told £350, then I paid £250 too much. Who’s quote stands? This trader has clearly been very dodgy and amateur throughout, being very evasive as to who he is, the company, the account, putting things in writing, demanding money and being like a dog with a bone. Even when I was on the phone getting his bank details, he was asking me if I’d sent it yet. The tenants are afraid of him and don’t want trouble, e.g. if I take this further as they know where they live. Is this a police matter and/or a civil matter? Is it costly to pursue? Should I write a review on the trade website? Who could or should I contact? He did a shoddy job too and I explicitly told him to send photos before payment and only contact me and the invoice should come to me.I have no photos, the invoice says what he wanted it to and was forced to be signed by the tenant. This is a seriously bad egg.

Steve - 21-Mar-20 @ 10:44 PM

My tenant found a fence fixer to fix a fence blown down in the recent storms. He quoted the tenant £350, who asked me if it should go ahead. I (the landlord) took over and spoke to the person, who said it was £600. I agreed. A day later, he bought the materials and the next morning asked for 50% (£300) up front. I sent it by 10am. He said it would take a day. At 1.30pm I went out to the shops with my wife for 2 hours, returning at 3.30pm, having left my phone with my daughter to study on. When I returned, I found that mid afternoon, my tenants (who had nothing to do with this transaction) had been forced to find £300 or threatened with the fence being ripped out because he could not contact me. I was not contactable for two hours and had no reason to think that I would be needed so early and could not believe he would go to such lengths so quickly. Is this reasonable? The tenants were (again) told that the job was for £300 or £350 and told the tenant that I had only paid £100 and they needed another £300. This was clearly deceiving the tenant into thinking they were charging £350 or £400. They were forced to pay and sign the receipt and a waiver in my absence, obviously fearing that if they ripped out the fence, I might not want to take a £300 hit and then start again getting a new fencer, so they were clearly in a very difficult and intimidating situation. Two issues here. 1. Intimidation to pay or threats to destroy the fence. 2. if the tenant paid, and the tenant was told £350, then I paid £250 too much. Who’s quote stands? This trader has clearly been very dodgy and amateur throughout, being very evasive as to who he is, the company, the account, putting things in writing, demanding money and being like a dog with a bone. Even when I was on the phone getting his bank details, he was asking me if I’d sent it yet. The tenants are afraid of him and don’t want trouble, e.g. if I take this further as they know where they live. Is this a police matter and/or a civil matter? Is it costly to pursue? Should I write a review on the trade website? Who could or should I contact? He did a shoddy job too and I explicitly told him to send photos before payment and only contact me and the invoice should come to me.I have no photos, the invoice says what he wanted it to and was forced to be signed by the tenant. This is a seriously bad egg.

Steve - 21-Mar-20 @ 6:29 PM

My tenant found a fence fixer to fix a fence blown down in the recent storms. He quoted the tenant £350, who asked me if it should go ahead. I (the landlord) took over and spoke to the person, who said it was £600. I agreed. A day later, he bought the materials and the next morning asked for 50% (£300) up front. I sent it by 10am. He said it would take a day. At 1.30pm I went out to the shops with my wife for 2 hours, returning at 3.30pm, having left my phone with my daughter to study on. When I returned, I found that mid afternoon, my tenants (who had nothing to do with this transaction) had been forced to find £300 or threatened with the fence being ripped out because he could not contact me. I was not contactable for two hours and had no reason to think that I would be needed so early and could not believe he would go to such lengths so quickly. Is this reasonable? The tenants were (again) told that the job was for £300 or £350 and told the tenant that I had only paid £100 and they needed another £300. This was clearly deceiving the tenant into thinking they were charging £350 or £400. They were forced to pay and sign the receipt and a waiver in my absence, obviously fearing that if they ripped out the fence, I might not want to take a £300 hit and then start again getting a new fencer, so they were clearly in a very difficult and intimidating situation. Two issues here. 1. Intimidation to pay or threats to destroy the fence. 2. if the tenant paid, and the tenant was told £350, then I paid £250 too much. Who’s quote stands? This trader has clearly been very dodgy and amateur throughout, being very evasive as to who he is, the company, the account, putting things in writing, demanding money and being like a dog with a bone. Even when I was on the phone getting his bank details, he was asking me if I’d sent it yet. The tenants are afraid of him and don’t want trouble, e.g. if I take this further as they know where they live. Is this a police matter and/or a civil matter? Is it costly to pursue? Should I write a review on the trade website? Who could or should I contact? He did a shoddy job too and I explicitly told him to send photos before payment and only contact me and the invoice should come to me.I have no photos, the invoice says what he wanted it to and was forced to be signed by the tenant. This is a seriously bad egg.

Steve - 21-Mar-20 @ 2:10 PM

My tenant found a fence fixer to fix a fence blown down in the recent storms. He quoted the tenant £350, who asked me if it should go ahead. I (the landlord) took over and spoke to the person, who said it was £600. I agreed. A day later, he bought the materials and the next morning asked for 50% (£300) up front. I sent it by 10am. He said it would take a day. At 1.30pm I went out to the shops with my wife for 2 hours, returning at 3.30pm, having left my phone with my daughter to study on. When I returned, I found that mid afternoon, my tenants (who had nothing to do with this transaction) had been forced to find £300 or threatened with the fence being ripped out because he could not contact me. I was not contactable for two hours and had no reason to think that I would be needed so early and could not believe he would go to such lengths so quickly. Is this reasonable? The tenants were (again) told that the job was for £300 or £350 and told the tenant that I had only paid £100 and they needed another £300. This was clearly deceiving the tenant into thinking they were charging £350 or £400. They were forced to pay and sign the receipt and a waiver in my absence, obviously fearing that if they ripped out the fence, I might not want to take a £300 hit and then start again getting a new fencer, so they were clearly in a very difficult and intimidating situation. Two issues here. 1. Intimidation to pay or threats to destroy the fence. 2. if the tenant paid, and the tenant was told £350, then I paid £250 too much. Who’s quote stands? This trader has clearly been very dodgy and amateur throughout, being very evasive as to who he is, the company, the account, putting things in writing, demanding money and being like a dog with a bone. Even when I was on the phone getting his bank details, he was asking me if I’d sent it yet. The tenants are afraid of him and don’t want trouble, e.g. if I take this further as they know where they live. Is this a police matter and/or a civil matter? Is it costly to pursue? Should I write a review on the trade website? Who could or should I contact? He did a shoddy job too and I explicitly told him to send photos before payment and only contact me and the invoice should come to me.I have no photos, the invoice says what he wanted it to and was forced to be signed by the tenant. This is a seriously bad egg.

Steve - 20-Mar-20 @ 11:08 PM

We had a quote from a door fitter to get a front door and back door and he gave a quote. He said we had to pay half of the money so he can place order for the doors, so we paid £975. After that he failed to take our calls to confirm fit date. The after a few days we got 12th Oct as fit date. No one turned up. We kept calling he would answer the calls. We checked out his work place mentioned on the invoice which was a different company. So we texted him that he should refund our money or we would go to the police. He got back via text in the middle of the night after 2 days that we were rude and he will not provide us service and not give our money back and we can do what we want. His message has scared me so much I don’t know what to do. He just took all that money for nothing.

BB2019 - 14-Oct-19 @ 4:14 PM

I hired an electrician to fit some lights. He gave me an estimate and said it could go up or down depending on how long it took. He did the work, invoices me for less than the estimate but two months later raised another invoice as he said he’d forgotten to add in the labour. The invoice he sent originally clearly stated parts and labour. He has been phoning me and emailing me for the last few months even bough I’ve told him I’m not paying. He’s now threatening to call at my property daily until I pay it. Additionally the equipment he installed is faulty and he’s refusing to change it until I pay the other invoice. What can I do?

Jblogssss - 20-Dec-18 @ 1:04 PM

Jbloggs - Your Question:

Roofer quoted £350 to fix a leak on an extension roof. When they arrived to do the job, they then said after a closer look they couldn't do that job. Instead I should get a much larger job done costing £2500. After I nearly fainted they said they could do something for £900 but wouldn't recommend it. So I said ok put all that in a new quote and I'll be in touch. However they then demand the original £350!! I was shocked, they even left my roof with a brick missing and wouldn't put it back!! They intimidated me into paying, the boss got extremely upset so I had no choice. They were only there for 1 hour, I was even prepared to pay a nominal free to cover that hour, but no they demand and insisted on payment there and then. I had to transfer it as he watched before he left. What can I do now?? I can live without the £350, but it's the principle and I don't want them doing it to someone else.

Our Response:

You could take the matter to the court for the small claims court to decide, if you feel you have been treated unfairly, please see the link here . However, you don't say whether the roofers fixed the leak on the roof. If they did - you would have little recourse to complain.

TraderScams - 10-Sep-18 @ 11:12 AM

Roofer quoted £350 to fix a leak on an extension roof.When they arrived to do the job, they then said after a closer look they couldn't do that job.Instead I should get a much larger job done costing £2500.After I nearly fainted they said they could do something for £900 but wouldn't recommend it. So I said ok put all that in a new quote and I'll be in touch.However they then demand the original £350!!I was shocked, they even left my roof with a brick missing and wouldn't put it back!!They intimidated me into paying, the boss got extremely upset so I had no choice. They were only there for 1 hour, I was even prepared to pay a nominal free to cover that hour, but no they demand and insisted on payment there and then.I had to transfer it as he watched before he left.What can I do now??I can live without the £350, but it's the principle and I don't want them doing it to someone else.

Jbloggs - 8-Sep-18 @ 5:39 PM

Dealing With Harassment and Intimidation from a Tradesman

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Steps to Follow if you Feel Intimidated or Harassed