Painter keeps saying he will show up but keeps delaying or not turning up. Is it fair to cancel?
Anonymous user 09/03/2024 - 3.21 PM
A few people seem to think I am in the wrong for not paying him up front. These were his payment terms, not ours. Also I am not planning on not paying him. If he's done 80% of the work I'm happy to pay him 80% of the cost. I'm not stopping him from being paid, he is the one dragging his heels on the job and delaying his own payment! If he wants the full amount he can finish off my job and he will get the full payment. If he wants part of the amount right now then I am happy with that as well. It's a bit unfair to be accused as a rogue customer or being unreasonable when I am not witholding ANYTHING from the guy. I am just waiting for him to finish the job which he has told me on countless occasions he will be coming in to finish and never does.
Also I would like to add, if it counts as written confirmation, I do have text messages from him saying for example "will be done by tuesday" recieved on the thursday before, and then he doesn't even turn up on friday, saturday or monday, and then decides to move the job to the following week. How is this fair? He is making false promises and lying to my face time and time again. If he told me he was flat out and said he doesn't have time to do my work, that's a different story. But he's saying he will come in and doesn't.
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
Your being extremely unreasonable to the poor guy, from the sound of it his done 80% of the job if not more and now you want to kick him off, as he can’t commit to your job when you delayed him for 4 weeks?!??...
The bloke has bills to pay and has gone without any payment for his labour for 2 months that’s unbelievable!!!
You should had payed for all the work done up to date, when you asked him not to return to site for 2/3 weeks which turned into 4!!
By “competitive” you mean the cheapest quote and you want to knock him further by asking for money off, if you throw him off the job?!?
If you want the job finished immediately pay the painter 100% of his quote and find someone else to finish the job who can start immediately, or alternately wait for him as he waited for you for 4 weeks.
There are some rouge traders out there, also there are rouge customers. You have paid him 10% and owe him 90%! He is probably busy doing all the work he picked up when you delayed him for 4 weeks. There are lots of questions on here about money up front before a job is started. Here is a classic example of why it is asked for.
Answered25 March 2021
3
Anonymous user
I think you should pay person when gets the material give you the resit till he do some work You just pay for the work he dose not pay up on front that way he has to come back finish job and get his money
If you have made a verbal contract to complete you works in a fixed duration you have every right to cancel if he has breached the agreed timescale without your agreement. You would need to pay him for work completed and give him the chance to make good first in writing and a deadline to complete by or you will terminate. However, if his work and charge is reasonable you are always best trying to get the work completed as finding an alternative may be difficult especially as nobody likes fixing others work. Explain to him your situation and see if it can be resolved. Always best to keep a log of communications in case legal action is needed later.
I don`t take on ANY work without 50% deposit, sometimes more if the materials are the bulk of the job. 99.9% of my customers realise this is only reasonable.As others have said........he needs to live, so is OBVIOUSLY working to that end.Pay what you owe, then give him a deadline for completion.Hope this helps, Chris M-W.
