Restoration & Refurbishment

My builder will not provide an invoice for works done - What can I do?

Anonymous user 3 March 2024 - 2.38 PM

I recently employed a builder to refurb my house - works involved changing layout of upstairs, so knocking down one wall and putting up a couple of stud walls, plastering, plumbing two bathrooms and knocking down a dividing wall between kitchen and dining area. I agreed a price and timescales with a local builder. The work proved to be chaotic, generally I consider to be of a low standard and ran two months over agreed timescales, taking four months rather than the two I was told it would take. This cost me as I had to pay for alternative accommodation. I paid the builder as the agreed - (initially cash, then by direct bank transfer) on a weekly basis. When I started to have concerns I did discuss this with the builder - I did seriously consider changing builders but it seemed too far down the line and I wanted to keep a grip on costs. The final cost came in a double the original price, at £25,000. Now my builder is refusing to give me a detailed invoice - in fact he won't provide any invoice at all. He is claiming that he cannot as he didn't keep receipts or records of what he paid to other contractors. I want an invoice as proof of the works his company did and as a security should there be any issues later on. What should I do? What can I do? I am starting to feel slightly nervous of this builder.