Reply To: Severe verbal abuse
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I mean no disrespect to you Max but I long ago learned not to make a judgement nor take action upon hearing just one side of an argument/dispute and in case of marital/partner issues, Run with a capital R.
However, there are one or two things you write that causes me some concern and immediately I would a) ask you one or two questions for clarification purposes and b) instantly advise caution on your way forward and what you say to your client or ex-client perhaps.
The first thing is that in law, whether it be verbally or written, you have contracted to complete certain works for Mrs.X and to an acceptable standard.
You say she has written to ask you to return and remedy some defects in workmanship. Now that signals an alarm to me and it should to you. I’ve no doubt she has kept a copy of that letter which may well end up in the hands of her solicitor. By law she has to ask you to return and correct any defects before taking any further steps she maybe contemplating.
Bearing the above in mind Max I would ask you the following;
Q1. First you say “One tile” but you then go on to say” Not saying I wouldn’t redo the tiles because it’s only six tiles”. The question is, was it only one tile or did you make a bit of a pig’s ear of the tiling?
Q2. Did she itemise the so-called “shoddy work”? If so what was it she found shoddy?
Q3. You say you were trimming a door and that she tried to move it but dropped it. Did she actually lift the or tried to lift the door?
Q4. What exactly were you doing with regard to ‘trimming’ the door and what tool/s were you using at the time?
Q5. Was the door in a door stand?
Q6. What type of floor was it, solid, timber, carpeted?
Q7. What is the damage she is referring to?
Q8. What type of door was it?
Not returning and citing personal safety as a reason is a big no no. As I said previously, you are contracted by law to complete your works, whether it be by you or A.N. Other and you pay the costs. Running away solves nothing. In fact you should have manned up to her at the time and told her in no uncertain terms not to speak to you as you say she did and to calm down and discuss things in a mature, adult fashion. You could have easily switched your mobile phone on to Record and told her that you had done so and in all probability it might have calmed her down. Which leads me onto ask. How did you leave that day. Did you say to her that you would be back next day or did you just slip out of the door?
Whatever has happened has happened and now the thing is to list the different possible scenarios that might ensue.
She has done what she has to do by law and that’s to write to you asking you remedy your works, whatever they maybe.
If you don’t then I’m second guessing that you will receive another letter within the next few days giving you probably 7 days to complete those works or a) she will employ a Building Surveyor to formulate a list of defects and report on the standard of workmanship. The costs of which will be billed to you. Guessing at a minimum of £300 for that.
Then she will probably invite estimates from other builders/joiners who will quite naturally charge top rates for rectifying someone else’s work. That too she will charge against you and if she is holding any monies against you she is legally entitled to pay the new joiner those monies and charge you should there be any deficit. Don’t even let it get to that stage
In my opinion Max you would do well to bite the bullet and complete the job satisfactorily. I’d take a pre-written note with you saying something like “I Gladys Pugh sign to say I am happy with all works carried out by Max Wheeler on this date XX/XX/XX” Not that I think she’ll sign it but you never know. Then forget all about her, put it down to experience and move on with your life.