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Legal matters

Builders missing advertising signboard

5 replies

BlogOnTheTyne · 15/07/2013 17:35

Several weeks ago, I had some house repair works done by a building company, who really let me down and didn't complete the job. I 'caught out' their painter/decorator when he lied a few times but didn't want the situation to escalate. They didn't turn up when they said they would nor complete the works agreed and disputed what those works were, even though we'd agreed it all in writing beforehand. They disputed the interpretation of the written quote. However, as a single mum, not wanting further hassle from them, I decided to comtinue to be polite but just never use them again.

I paid for the works done - massively more expensive than most other companies, so I'd foolishly imagined they'd be v good - and left it at that.

They had attached an advertising sign to my front fence without my permission but I didn't say anything about it. However, once I'd paid them, I asked them to remove it, as it was up from about 3 to 4 weeks after they finished the works - and although I also didn't say this to them, I didn't really want to continue advertising a company who had really failed me.

They didn't come to take it down and several weeks passed by. I then emailed them to say that I'd take it down for them and safely leave it in our driveway, where they could collect it anytime they wanted to do so. I carefully unscrewed the board and put it along our fence, inside the driveway, very near to our house and far away from the road.

Again, several weeks went by and no one collected it. I went away with my DCs and on our return, the sign had gone. I assumed that they'd collected it.

I've now just been contacted by the company to ask where their sign is as it's not where I said it'd be! I've emailed them to repeat everything I'd said before and remind them I left the sign safely on our property for them to collect and had assumed they'd done so and if it's not there, then I don't know hwat's happened to it.

My question is, can they make me pay for their advertising board if I informed them at every step of the way about what I was doing about it and had safely left it, undamaged, in our front driveway, near the house - so not at all near the road?

Surely if they chose not to collect it weeks ago, nor even take it down, nor had even asked permission to attach it in the first place and have also messed up on the job they were supposed to do for me too, they can't exactly blame me if someone has stolen it from my property?

Given what I now know about the company, I'm afraid they'll get nasty and so I wanted to check the legalities of the situation on here, in case they start making threats. If this was still on my property, was it still my responsibility? If I asked them to take it down and take it away, several weeks before this and they didn'tn am I to blame if it's been stolen?

I also have a suspicion that the untrustworthy painter/decorator may have taken it in order to get me into trouble with the company, as he'd been going to do some further painting for me, independently and I haven't followed this up as it was largely because of him that I was let down by the company.

What should I do and what are my rights?

OP posts:
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OldLadyKnowsNothing · 15/07/2013 17:38

Completely ignore them, you have no responsibility at all for their unwanted sign.

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prettybird · 15/07/2013 18:59

I think you have more than covered yourself. The only thing you might have done differently was to leave it on the pavement given that you hasn't given permission for it to be on your property in the first place Grin

So which would they have preferred you do? Wink

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AnythingNotEverything · 15/07/2013 19:18

If they keep on hassling you I'd be tempted to put all the details of the work they've done and how unsatisfied you are on a sign on your fence and see how they like that Shock

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BlogOnTheTyne · 15/07/2013 20:17

Thanks for this. I had actually taken the sign off and left it on the grass verge beside the pavement for the first few days after I unscrewed it, thinking the builders would pick it up that day or the next. After a few days, I then moved it to our driveway as I thought someone might take it! I've been bending over backwards to ensure their sign is OK and not to 'put their backs up', as I hate confrontation.

I had sent a detailed email on the day the decorator lied to me, let me down, didn't finish the agreed works and then the company themselves decided to reinterpret their quote too and I clarified that my understanding, which seemed reasonable, given the wording of their quote, was obviously different frome theirs. They still disagreed with me but it was all v polite at that stage.

So all along, I've been clear, reasonable, unemotional (I was very careful not to become emotive as the decorator had been v condescending and trying to pat me on the arm several times and treating me like a 'little woman') and put things in writing.

I'm now tipping over into thinking I'd love to reveal them online but obviously don't want to be found guilty of slander or something. I like that idea about 'dissing them' on a sign! Wouldn't do this in reality but I certainly will be telling my friends to avoid this company!

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peggyundercrackers · 16/07/2013 15:54

the problem is your being nice and polite about it all and they think they can bully you - tell them to fuck off and to stop harassing you or you will contact the police about it.

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