building work not good enough

[susanivatt]

I am not sure that i am in the right place, but wondered if someone could advise me...I paid a builder in Feb 07 to knock a back kitchen wall into the outside loo and old coal house, both defucnt..He knocked the loo and coal house down, then disappered, I know, i should not have paid him..lesson learned, or so i thought..in May i got another builder, (a company this time) got a quote, and paid (yes paid) a deposit for materials..and a bit more on top, which only amounted to 1/2 the work, (in my opinion!) Anyway, they have also done a bunk, and quite frankly I dont want him back as the work he has done, is so bad, i now have to pay someone else to put it right!! I have taken pictures, and I would like to know if I am legally required to pay them for an uncompleted job? Sorry it is so long winded..thanks

 

[Softus]

The way the law stands is that:

a) you must pay him for work done;
b) he must compensate you to remedy work done without reasonable care and/or without skill commensurate with being a professional tradesman.

The pragmatic way forward is for both parties to walk away without paying or claiming. However, if either amount substantially outweighs the other, then one person will pursue the other.

You just have to decide which way the scales are tilting...

 

[susanivatt]

Many thanks softus, It makes things clearer in my mind now.