Nightmare Plumber Has Left me in a Pickle

[TBServices]

Yes they do. Take my advice I gave earlier and rip it out and redo it properly this time. If you don't you might regret not doing so.

Agreed. Another plumber may be able to make it look half decent on the surface, but underneath the job is still poor and will only cost you in the end, possibly in new ceilings, carpets and woodwork.

 

[Howsie]

Here is my advice and it is a bit brutally honest (just in from a night out sorry)
Forget the legal route. Who will be your expert independant plumber when you don't know a good plumber from a bad? Some other check a trade trusted numpty? Will he be willing to stand in court and give his opinion which could be shot down? Any tradesman could walk onto the most perfect job and pick faults if they really look and choose to do it and get involved in a legal wrangle that will turn out one side against another (your bathroom guy will defend himself if it comes to it).
Would i do it and get involved? No. I ain't getting paid for the inconvenience and my time is my livelihood.
Go the legal way and you will still be sitting there a year later with an abortion of a bathroom.You might get a result in the end (you do deserve one) but it will cost you more stress than money.
Building control wouldn't know a good job if it kicked them on the derrière so forget that route too. More money and stress for no result.
Cut your losses and learn fron your experience. Get a local WELL ESTABLISHED company on word of mouth (you will find one if you ask around) to sort it out and move on.

Unfortunately people no longer know their local tradesmen and think the internet is a great place to find someone. It is not! These internet rated whoever companies are there to make CASH.
While there are a few really good tradesmen using these sites because the economic times mean they struggle for work the MAJORITY are garbage.
It is no more than a lucky dip.

Btw never pay in full for things until you are happy with the result.

I really do sympathise. I hate bad workmanship.
I hope you get it sorted for a reasonable cost.

I could'nt even see the screen if I'd been on a night out let alone write something as sensible as that. I applaud you sir.

 

[SimonG]

I'll play devils advocate. From the pictures it's poor work, end of. But how many quotes/estimates did you get? If you got a few did you personally speak to past customers, not some potentially exaggerated claims on a web site? I tend to find that if you are only paying peanuts then your sows ear won't be a silk purse.

It annoys me to death that customers let 'tradesmen' (used very loosely) get away with this. But in this case the waters have been muddied by you jumping in and 'doing' things that the 'plumber' should have done.

Did you see his qualifications for the electrics? I'd be more worried about that then the water. You can at least see the problems with water. With electrics you don't normally know until you get the report off of the fire investigator.

I hope you get it sorted.

 

[Helpfulplumber]

Think you got a duffer there, why did you pay them? Take them to the small claims court, no point messing around with reports and lawyers. You have pictures and a good account of the job, small claims court is for this type of disagreement. A recorded delivery from the courts has a way of sharpening people's response times as well. Good luck.

 

[petercj]

Think you got a duffer there, why did you pay them? Take them to the small claims court, no point messing around with reports and lawyers. You have pictures and a good account of the job, small claims court is for this type of disagreement. A recorded delivery from the courts has a way of sharpening people's response times as well. Good luck.

Yes, agree, I'd give it a go on the basis of keeping cost to bare minimum (unless the OP has legal cover on house insurance, then go for a Report) but, if the OP has no evidence of a contract with this plumber, usually confirmed by an invoice or a receipt, it's going to be difficult to justify a claim.

Court fees here...

https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money/court-fees

 

[tamz]

I could'nt even see the screen if I'd been on a night out let alone write something as sensible as that. I applaud you sir.

I can hardly see it now.....ruff:coffee: