Streetlife

Oh dear! What a terrible predicament. Why not contact that television show, Cowboy Builders? Is there a small claims court in this country? That is what one would do in Canada, where I am from. It is for claims under $5000 or something like that and you self-represent so it only costs a nominal fee for the court date. Does something like this exist here?

I am sure everyone has now said not to pay builders all the money upfront. I think with our builders we paid a few thousand up front and then 3 instalments after they completed certain phases. What I didn't know is that it also protects the builder from non-paying customers as well. Some of our builders would only take clients that came through other trades that had recommended them. Our builders said their worst client was a little sweet old lady who kept sweet talking the builders into doing things and at the £20,000 point told them she had no money to pay them. 

I would also be relentless in not letting this guy off the hook. Keep calling him and demanding your money back or the job done. It may never work, but at least you can make his life a bit uncomfortable!

my neighbour also had this encounter in which he paid GBP 5000 to the builder to do a loft conversion without planning permission and no proper foundation in the structure :o((. I am sorry to hear. my neighbour has gone to the Ombudsman for small businesses to report him and see if he can claim back. I think that it will take a while to get his money back.

sorry to hear of this bad experience.

An invaluable tip that my dad (a builder and landlord) gave me is keep a log of any interactions with your builder and this situation (date and what was said, what took place). And in any case where things are going wrong and may come to legal claims. It helps to remember events and provides a good legal base. I have done this on numerous occasions with lax landlords, neighbours who were blocking our building work, etc.

can you name this builder ?
how did you come to use him ?
i use checkatrade for vetted builders with customer feedback .
sorry about your situation

Thats awful, so sorry to hear this.
Not sure what you can do about it but hope you can sort it out somehow.
My husband is a builder and it is usual to pay little bit of money as the job progresses for materials etc as well as to protect themselves as said in previous posts...such a shame that these cowboys give the genuine ones a bad time and make us all wary of who to use.
If you need any advice on how to sort out the mess do give my husband a call, JS Builders, 07782 265 431. His name is Simon, tell him I have you his number.
Good Luck, lucy x

We did use one of those big builder finder websites.  We did pay in installments with the final being once the job was done and garden cleared.  I dont want to really name him yet because we are hoping to fix the situation because we are thinking it would be cheaper?, but he is not making it easy.  Basically, he wants us to pay more out by buying supplies and materials he should have bought as well as pay for the labour.  He sent his workers to me to beg for money when he should have paid them.  Then had the nerve to tell them that I would give them money.  I didnt so they left.

it wont be cheaper ...don't throw good money after bad..get a new builder, one you can trust use checkatrade and read the feedback carefully and get at least 3 in for a quote.

Did you get anything in writing?   So you have paid for what he's done so far but he says he has no more money to complete the job?  Is what he's done so far of a good standard?  And you're not technically out of pocket, just half way through the job?

Don't fall for his games, he's let you down, behaved unprofessionally and left you in a predicament.  You can't reward bad behaviour.  If you've paid him up to now how come he has no money? And where is the money he should have used to pay his workers. 

If you really think this is salvagable, sit down with him and be clear about what the next steps are, get it all in writing and pay NOTHING to him until he has put what he's done right or finished the job. If you have to pay for the materials, make sure that's taken off the final bill and get receipts.  If he refuses this, and it sounds like he will, walk away. And give him a bad review on the website.  He hardly sounds reputable and professional now does he?  The law and this situation, from what you've written here, appear to be on your side. 

If not walk away and know for next time. But do not give him any more money.  He should be compensating you.

Funny I was just on here to ask for recommendations for a builder and carpenter! Guess you won't be recommending!

I would also suggest getting advice from trading standards. Details on Internet.

I did call Trading Standards through Wandsworth Council and they referred me to Consumer Direct since I found him online even though he does work locally.  I can't seem to get through to them though..  Don't think we can work with him anymore as he is untrustworthy  but have to take the loss and find another builder. We also want to know what he has done with the money we gave him as he owes his workers their wages.  THis is a civil matter and since he doesn't seem to have any money we won't gain anything by taking him to court.  Just don't want him to do this to others, especially elderly or the vulnerable.  He operates as Phoenix Construction based in COlliers Wood.  He goes by the name Imran Khan but his real name is Mujahid Arshid.  His family is from Tooting.

I wouldn't be too sure about him not having any money.  He has probably done this before.  I'm sorry Trading Standards didn't help - perhaps try again?  Tell them Consumer Direct are proving hard to get through to.  Otherwise you could try the Small Claims Court.  I hope you get some money back and thank you for having the courage to name him..

the fact that he has a few alias' should have told you everything you need to know. Pursue him, don't let him get away with it. But don't throw good money after bad.

It is interesting when you google his name

Threaten to shop him tothe tax authorities if he hasn't been charging vat as any serious builder would soon get over the threshold for that and should be registered. I am assuming that any self respecting cowboy would be paid cash....and if you paid cash...I guess you won't do that again....

Sony,

What did you get done? What price did you agree? Did you get him to sign a contract with how much it will cost to do the work? If he said everything was included then he should finish the job. Did you not get references? Sorry for asking these questions. I just checked he doesnt seem to have a website but when you look at http://www.findatrade.com/tradesperson/phoenix-construction-17800/, there are two comments and alarm bells should have rang.

Sorry to hear that we too have just been conned by this man. Had a contract in place and he failed to make the order with the subcontractor or pay on the deposit. We cancelled and are demanding our money back. Looks like the small claims court have also reported it to police as a case of fraud.

Call Police Fraud 0300 123 2040 and report it. The more that do (those who have had a problem with this person) the more it will add additional weight to the case

Sorry to hear that you also had problems with this person. We have reported him to the police as he came late at night with his brother to return our keys. He tried to make us sign some document, and when my husband refused he tried to force his way in. The police issued him with a harassment order. He is not a pleasant man and his brother is worse. We tried to report him for fraud and the police told us it was a civil matter. What makes us angry that we have heard that he is doing another job in Tooting and there doesn't seem to be anything to do to stop him.

small claims court perhaps, also check your house insurance to see if it covers you for anything like this.  I am using mine to claim against the driver who injured me in a road accident on my bike.  Have previously used house insurance to sue an employer who owed me money.  Also many solicitors will do initial advice for free, also try the Citizens Advice Bureau