URGENT - Building work being undertaken without consent

[Ninja Elephant]

Hello good folks of NSC, the wealth of knowledge on here is amazing and I'm sure someone can offer advice and wisdom. At the moment, we (myself and my family) collectively don't have any.

My dad's house is falling into disrepair and for the last 20 years it's gone largely untouched. A front window was broken and had been bordered up for a couple of years, the guttering was falling apart, the roof is barely holding on. The windows are largely cracked or just so old they're for show only, the brickwork is crumbling and the internal structure of the place is failing badly as well. It's a lot of work, and while I'd like to be able to start getting the work on the move, I'm not able to, I have long since moved out. It's been a concern for a few years but it's now come to a head.

A builder knocked on my dad's door and started doing work, the window has been replaced and the guttering has been done. This builder has charged £1,900 for the window and associated brickwork and £2,500 for the guttering. We're scrambling around for the cash, which he is requesting to be paid on monday. He made this request today, presumably under any circumstances we're entitled to have more of a negotiation? He told my dad the work was urgent and he "had" to do it, there was no chance to negotiate, and we didn't have the chance to get other quotes either.

That's the immediate situation, but longer term this builder has quoted £30,000 to fix the whole place. Obviously, that's not money we have lying around so he's suggested a scheme whereby he/his company takes ownership of the house, my dad carries on living there and they spend the money on the house. Is this a scheme people know about, is it a legit scheme? Would you recommend it?

Any assistance you can provide is appreciated, we're not very familiar with these things and I don't know where we go next.

 

[Beach Hut]

Presumably your Dad consented to the work, if he did then if no price was agreed I suggest you ask for a quote in the first instance.

Once you have a quote you negotiate

 

[Hillian1]

Call the police, the press the council, Christ even call HB&B.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

If nothing is in writing, pay the extortionate amounts for work already done, the tell this builder to get lost, & get proper quotes from reputable local builders who won't rip your Dad off.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Hello good folks of NSC, the wealth of knowledge on here is amazing and I'm sure someone can offer advice and wisdom. At the moment, we (myself and my family) collectively don't have any.

My dad's house is falling into disrepair and for the last 20 years it's gone largely untouched. A front window was broken and had been bordered up for a couple of years, the guttering was falling apart, the roof is barely holding on. The windows are largely cracked or just so old they're for show only, the brickwork is crumbling and the internal structure of the place is failing badly as well. It's a lot of work, and while I'd like to be able to start getting the work on the move, I'm not able to, I have long since moved out. It's been a concern for a few years but it's now come to a head.

A builder knocked on my dad's door and started doing work, the window has been replaced and the guttering has been done. This builder has charged £1,900 for the window and associated brickwork and £2,500 for the guttering. We're scrambling around for the cash, which he is requesting to be paid on monday. He made this request today, presumably under any circumstances we're entitled to have more of a negotiation? He told my dad the work was urgent and he "had" to do it, there was no chance to negotiate, and we didn't have the chance to get other quotes either.

That's the immediate situation, but longer term this builder has quoted £30,000 to fix the whole place. Obviously, that's not money we have lying around so he's suggested a scheme whereby he/his company takes ownership of the house, my dad carries on living there and they spend the money on the house. Is this a scheme people know about, is it a legit scheme? Would you recommend it?

Any assistance you can provide is appreciated, we're not very familiar with these things and I don't know where we go next.

That sets the alarm bells ..and whats this about him knocking on the door...isent it possible to raise a loan against the property via the usual route

 

[Bill Cassidy's tie up]

suspect he probably lives in a caravan and talks with a funny accent

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

1900 for a window is a shocking price.

Get the builder to down tools and stop work asap. Pay what you have to for work done, and make sure he doesn't darken your door again.


The home ownership scam should be avoided at all cost, and probably reported to the police.

 

[Rowdey]

Massively overcharging here, rings lots of alarm bells - The 'Had to do it' 'Pay me now' and overcharging..

Sounds as if your dad was coerced by a chancer, and I'd go to Police/Trading standards/ANYBODY before parting with cash..

I'd want the standard of work verfied too..

Good luck.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Sounds like a con - never respond to those who "just been doing some work round the corner and noticed your roof has fallen off" - get other quotes. Work never "just has to be done" (unless you really don't have a roof), and especially doesn't have to be done by him. Also get a proper valuation of the house and the work required.

Does your Dad have health problems as there are loads of stories about vulnerable people being ripped off by such people massively overcharging for work (not) done.

Personally I would call a halt to the whole thing now, and seek some proper advice from surveyors, builders, estate agents, trading standards, and anyone else - but NOT from some stranger who knocks on the door, pretends to clean a window and charges you £1000 for the priviledge.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Give Trading Standards a call for advice.

 

[drew]

Presumably he has given you a detailed written invoice for the work undertaken including breakdown between labour and materials. You don't say but I assume your dad is on the more vulnerable side so certainly take issue and report them to local trading standards and speak to CAB.

 

[Hampster Gull]

Im no expert. My view though would be to Stop all work now. If there was no contract then get a couple of qoutes and oay him only that amount for the work done to date. Then let him decide if he takes further to court, which he wont.

 

[KLF]

I can't believe you're even asking the question. This is straight out of Watchdog, or Rogue Trader. Seriously, ask them to itemise the work done, agree what you should pay them then get them to clear off. Call Trading Standards and the Local Council. I'd tell the builder that's what you're doing too. Get reputable builders (try Checkatrade as a start) to come round and provide written quotes, and go from there.

 

[LA1972]

Phone the police ASAP

 

[Da Man Clay]

Phone trading standards and Action Fraud first thing tomorrow.

 

[easynow]

Pay what you can afford and tell him to piss off.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Was the builder called McO'Dougal, by any chance?

 

[Bold Seagull]

Hello good folks of NSC, the wealth of knowledge on here is amazing and I'm sure someone can offer advice and wisdom. At the moment, we (myself and my family) collectively don't have any.

My dad's house is falling into disrepair and for the last 20 years it's gone largely untouched. A front window was broken and had been bordered up for a couple of years, the guttering was falling apart, the roof is barely holding on. The windows are largely cracked or just so old they're for show only, the brickwork is crumbling and the internal structure of the place is failing badly as well. It's a lot of work, and while I'd like to be able to start getting the work on the move, I'm not able to, I have long since moved out. It's been a concern for a few years but it's now come to a head.

A builder knocked on my dad's door and started doing work, the window has been replaced and the guttering has been done. This builder has charged £1,900 for the window and associated brickwork and £2,500 for the guttering. We're scrambling around for the cash, which he is requesting to be paid on monday. He made this request today, presumably under any circumstances we're entitled to have more of a negotiation? He told my dad the work was urgent and he "had" to do it, there was no chance to negotiate, and we didn't have the chance to get other quotes either.

That's the immediate situation, but longer term this builder has quoted £30,000 to fix the whole place. Obviously, that's not money we have lying around so he's suggested a scheme whereby he/his company takes ownership of the house, my dad carries on living there and they spend the money on the house. Is this a scheme people know about, is it a legit scheme? Would you recommend it?

Any assistance you can provide is appreciated, we're not very familiar with these things and I don't know where we go next.

Firstly, under no circumstances continue any further work with this person. Regardless of the urgency of works required, a written quotation with terms and conditions such as payment terms always needs to be established. He simply cannot demand payment in such a short time frame.

You also need to ensure that the window is Building Control compliant with a FENSA certificate or similar, and he should be asked to supply this so that you are sure of compliance.

I don't think it is a ridiculous price for the window if there was a reasonable amount of bricklaying and repair work to do along with the disposal of the existing, but I'd expect a good quality window with the certification as mentioned.

Does sound like he's trying it on with the house and the desperate situation your Dad found himself in.

Most builders typically get their materials on account from merchants and suppliers, so other than his labour, the builder should be able to give you at least 14 days for payment of an invoice.

Trading Standards does sound like a good bet because if he is asking for cash, then it is likely he is also trying to evade the tax man. You should at the very least have an invoice with details of the works and payment terms included.

Don't even think about the scheme he is talking about though. Does your dad have buildings insurance, because that may also be worth looking at if the dilapidations are more than just wear and tear.

Good luck!

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Thanks for all this advice folks, it's pretty much what we're thinking. I'm going to be calling the coppers and trading standards tomorrow, as well as the man himself to put a stop to the talking to my dad. I didn't think he'd fall for this sort of thing, but clearly he is more vulnerable than I thought he was and this is a concern.

The fact that he hasn't provided us any written documentation so far was an alarm bell even for me, I'm glad that instinct was right.

With regards to the costings and the amount already charged (but not paid) - as there was no agreement in place, can we re-negotiate based on quotes from reputable sources?

 

[LamieRobertson]

Thanks for all this advice folks, it's pretty much what we're thinking. I'm going to be calling the coppers and trading standards tomorrow, as well as the man himself to put a stop to the talking to my dad. I didn't think he'd fall for this sort of thing, but clearly he is more vulnerable than I thought he was and this is a concern.

The fact that he hasn't provided us any written documentation so far was an alarm bell even for me, I'm glad that instinct was right.

With regards to the costings and the amount already charged (but not paid) - as there was no agreement in place, can we re-negotiate based on quotes from reputable sources?

Just as a matter of interest have u googled the company name to see if anything else adverse comes up?