Kitchen Fitting

Can the builder keep deposit (if we decided to get somebody else in to finish works)?

Anonymous user 23/02/2024 - 2.49 PM

A builder had quoted us for works in our house and then agreed to discount £1,000 off but he did not specify where the discount will come from. The works include Upstairs 1) Gut out ensuite and put new suite in plus re-tiling (1.8m x 1.5m) 2) Convert a bathroom to a bedroom (3.1m x 1.8m) 3) Make the box room into a bathroom (2.4m x 1.75m) Downstairs 1) Create a downstairs shower room with WC from what is part of the kitchen (abt 1.5m x 1.8m) 2) Rip out the existing kitchen and retile and replace all new units and appliances (about 18sqm) The builder requested for 25% deposit to secure him and pay for the materials, which I paid promptly. The work didn't get to a good start. The first 2 days,the builder came for a couple of hours to rip out the laminate flooring and drill the WC and extractor fan hole in the box room and left saying he needs to buy materials. Buying materials and short of cash for materials and the need for advance payment became a common theme. When the box room was finally completed, the builder insisted that we pay in full without the discount as he wasn't sure where the discount was going to come from so it is best to leave that to when all the works are completed. After 4 weeks and with a lot of questioning him why the progress was so slow, and with him constantly giving us a moving timeline, even on the job, plus several other issues that made us lose absolute confidence in this builder, we decided that it simply was ridiculous and so decided to get somebody else in for the works downstairs. The builder then refused to return us the deposit for the works downstairs saying it is not fair as we had already given the job to him. The whole upstairs finally finish right at the very last day of Week 5. We will like to know if anyone has a similar experience, what you did and what is our chance of getting our deposit back? Many thanks in advance