Cowboy Customers - Did any see this?

[Plumbstar Tom]

It was on ITV last night at 10.35 i think

I saw some of it and learnt some stuff about how as soon as an extension is built on to a house it becomes part of the house owners property whether paid or not so a builder couldn't take it down even if not paid for.

Some nasty pieces of work out there!

 

[stevetheplumber]

It was on ITV last night at 10.35 i think

I saw some of it and learnt some stuff about how as soon as an extension is built on to a house it becomes part of the house owners property whether paid or not so a builder couldn't take it down even if not paid for.

Some nasty pieces of work out there!

once its fitted its theirs doesnt matter what wording you put in contracts or estimates
county court system is useless as some people collect ccj's like stamps
in actual fact you could have your house replumbed wired and decorated and never pay a penny just by disputing everything
we had one where the guy in the house asked us to quote acepted quote we did work he told us he would be back at five never showed up waited till eight o clock no show eventually got him by phone said he was delayed and would meet us in the morning
went round about twenty times never anyone in
eventually got an answer from new tennants who refused to tell us who the land lord was
police wasnt interested as its a civil matter
traced land registry turns out it was sold the day after we did the work
and previous owner was untraceable as he had gone back to india
went back to police and told them it was fraud but they still didnt want to do anything
lucky it was only one days work and a little bit of matierials but leaves a bad taste to this day

 

[Plumbstar Tom]

They are trying to make it a criminal offence

If there is a petition going round I'll sign it along with everyone I know in the trade

Its so bad that a CCJ is just another piece of paper to some

I'd be mortified If i had one

They propse to resolve it by making it a criminal offence and the monies owed to the courts not the installer then the courts pay it back to the installer

 

[Colin Peters]

They are trying to make it a criminal offence

If there is a petition going round I'll sign it along with everyone I know in the trade

Its so bad that a CCJ is just another piece of paper to some

I'd be mortified If i had one

They propse to resolve it by making it a criminal offence and the monies owed to the courts not the installer then the courts pay it back to the installer

Surely there is something very criminal about deliberately tricking someone into lay out their finances, their time and their skills, whilst having no intention of paying them.
I lost my home and property and everything that I had to a lowlife who got his home at no cost to himself, but at my expense.
It's an horrendous experience and one that never leaves you.
What happened to me could have happened to anyone.
Incidently, I was down in London supporting Nigel at the launch of his website last year and he's a very determined chap. It's just a shame that restrictions were placed on him concerning some of the horror stories that he could have exposed given the chance.
Ah well.
Colin Peters

 

[Colin Peters]

Having been involved and having intimate knowledge of the Cowboy Customer subject I responded to these postings yesterday, but cannot find my contribution.
Anyone any idea what's gone wrong?
ATB
Colin Peters

 

[bobpape]

The fact is people in business see it as a game I know several millionairs who have been bankrupted two or three times, they simply organised it so that they came out winners,
all part of the game to them.
I personally believe that there are no rich people out there who can claim not to have ripped anyone off.
If you want to climb the ladder of success it is a prerequisite that you have to "rip and tear with no dispare"

You all know Lord Hesiltine once quoted he "never pays a bill untill he is on the steps of the court" what he was really saying is push it as far as you can with out actually
breaking the law..

 

[pauls]

its about time someone focused on cowboy customers

 

[flat pack]

i only give credit for small jobs only if customer waiting for hubby.
but on completion's of heating systems clients know in advance to paid me at the end of the day . only one clients mum forgot to go to the bank that day ,but when the client was drop of by his boss , to find the mistake he
jump in his car chase after his boss got a double sub return and paid me

my terms NO CREDIT ,,,,,,,,

 

[Dave]

Having been involved and having intimate knowledge of the Cowboy Customer subject I responded to these postings yesterday, but cannot find my contribution.
Anyone any idea what's gone wrong?
ATB
Colin Peters

Because you put an external link in ,your post needed approving first..

 

[Phil]

Whats this?
Are we not allowed to link?

I've tried to do the [/url] thing on here and it dosen't work, is that what you mean?

 

[johnmcginty]

Is there anywhere I can watch this now as ITV are not showing it on there player?

 

[Plouasne]

One thing that might help you with bad clients, is to refuse to do the work until a written estimate had been written out by you the plumber, and counter signed by the client as good for the work to be carried out, with any changes requested by the client treated the same way

Any thing under say a £100 labour costs could be excluded, also state that the rate of interest will be so much above bank lending rate, and will be charged after the first 30 days of non-payment

After 30 days send a registered letter reminder, with the revised invoice, then after another 30 days small claims court them

 

[Colin Peters]

Because you put an external link in ,your post needed approving first..

Thank you for that information Dave. Has my posting been approved yet? As I recall, it was just a link to my own website which tells of my own experiences at the hands of a cowboy customer and those who wrongly supported his deceptions.
If this has legal implications and is to be censored, then, by way of making other tradesmen aware of the perils which we all face from the rogue elements, I am quite prepared to email any of your members who requests it, a 2 paged copy of an article that I had published in the November 1991 edition of the Masterbuilder Journal entitled "Beware the 'cowboy client'

 

[Dave]

It has been approved colin... after all the blog is your blog and not wrote by us..

 

[Jason.S]

Thank you for that information Dave. Has my posting been approved yet?

Post approved although if members wish to read the document, they can contact you via PM.

Thanks.