Plumber fraud - seeking help

[Harry Bloomfield]

Remember this is a one sided story at the moment, the OP has mentioned everything is verbal except a scribbled piece of paper which he/she could have done themselves.

I think I believe the OP's version.

 

[denso13]

Hindsight is 100%.

Would you have paid so much money up front?

 

[denso13]

I think I believe the OP's version.

The company in question has been put through the mill with a lot of detail posted publicly including a mobile phone number and what seems like a home address. And you "think" you believe the OP?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Would you have paid so much money up front?

A complete stranger, recommended by such a website - no I certainly would not. I would not expect to pay a deposit either, if it were a long job, it would be staged payments.

The company in question has been put through the mill with a lot of detail posted publicly including a mobile phone number and what seems like a home address. And you "think" you believe the OP?

Which is all public information.

 

[MeldrewsMate]

Whilst having sympathy for the OP I must add this cautionary note.

The OP may go down the route of claiming via the County Court system, but even before you-know-what-19 came along they were starved of funds, slow, and IMO incompetant at times. The OP may get a CCJ against the company, but the Co. may still not pay. If the Co. is really just a front for a con then it's likely the Co. will be wound-up with no assets - result: no money for the OP.
Additionally, if the debt can be awarded against the individual (or one of the directors) then there are multiple ways the transgressor can avoid the debt, whether by ignoring it or by bankruptcy (again, having made sure all his/her assets are safely out of your reach). Result: even less money for the OP

To the Court system you will have successfully recovered your money (ie they record it as a win), but you are still five grand down plus court fees.
Unfortunately that is today's reality, though I hope to be proven wrong.

 

[Notch7]

I feel sorry for the OO, it sounds like he has been royally screwed. We don't know whether deliberately or by mismanagement......I fear the former.

It's so common for dodgy tradesmen to play the deposit game. Often it's innocent, driven by a cash flow problem. The tradesmen is short of money to complete a job so he takes a deposit for the next job, does a couple of days to show willing, then buggers off to finish his earlier job.

But some proper fraudster take it to the next stage.....no intention of returning.

I've seen some 'builders' that do this with extensions, they get a decent deposit and have a massive 2nd payment due at plate level. They then put in cowboy foundations and lay blocks upto plate level, then hold their hand out for the big lump and are never seen again.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

To the Court system you will have successfully recovered your money (ie they record it as a win), but you are still five grand down plus court fees.
Unfortunately that is today's reality, though I hope to be proven wrong.

It is always a gamble taking a company to court, but what are the options? Just write the money off to experience, or risk a relatively few more pounds in court fees in the hope of getting repaid eventually in full.

 

[MeldrewsMate]

It is always a gamble taking a company to court, but what are the options? Just write the money off to experience, or risk a relatively few more pounds in court fees in the hope of getting repaid eventually in full.

You are, of course, correct. My point was to warn against chasing money that isn't there to be collected; if these scammers know anything, they know how to cheat the system, and whilst there is a possibility that the money can be recovered, the OP should also consider that it may not be. A re-appraisal after the CCJ is not paid would be advised.

 

[denso13]

if these scammers know anything

Good grief they are scammers now as well, con artists has also been mentioned. I do think it is conceivable this has happened but you have absolutely no evidence that is not just someone bearing a grudge.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I do think it is conceivable this has happened but you have absolutely no evidence that is not just someone bearing a grudge.

Were it a grudge, the OP would have been much quicker to name and shame, why mess about for 7 whole pages on the forum?

 

[denso13]

A complete stranger, recommended by such a website - no I certainly would not.

Yet you believe a complete stranger with no evidence after a few posts on a diy forum?

Were it a grudge, the OP would have been much quicker to name and shame, why mess about for 7 whole pages on the forum?

He/she started it on the first page in their third post.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Yet you believe a complete stranger with no evidence after a few posts on a diy forum?

I have no reason to doubt him and he has nothing to gain from us by telling lies and his story hangs together completely.

 

[denso13]

I have no reason to doubt him and he has nothing to gain from us by telling lies and his story hangs together completely.

I have said it sounds plausible. Good advice has been given but this could have been done without all of the personal information being given of someone who probably doesn't know it is even being discussed.

I do not think the story hangs together completely.

 

[muggles]

Let's try not to drag this thread off topic with bickering guys. It helps nobody

 

[Notch7]

I have said it sounds plausible. Good advice has been given but this could have been done without all of the personal information being given of someone who probably doesn't know it is even being discussed.

I do not think the story hangs together completely.

True, it's best to redact personal info before posting.

It's kind of tempting to ring the number and see if '[removed]' answers