Cowboy builders and the council

[mashmallow]

I will try and keep this short. My son moved into his bedsit 3 yrs ago since then there was immense problems in the bedsit, damp, smelling of mould, leakages, his belongings ruined by mould and damp, ect., we engaged a solicitor, after some time, he had endless visits from all and sundry denying the problems, various tests were done and repairs carried out, hence solicitor liaised with the council for compensation, the case fell because apparently the council corrected the problems and he would not have a good case to fight.

 

Now they have employed Mullaley to renovate the block, new bath, toilet and sink and tiles, replace old heating, there was also asbestos in the property. By this time my son has had enough Mullaley has been around for the last 4 months and no my son is refusing to let them back in. hence the council threatening him, all the workers cannot communicate because they cannot speak English, he also had one builder who splat outside the door, used the toilet and ****ed outside the bowl.

 

Further to this a faulty electric fuse box has been left with a main cable burnt out, my son also complained about this, they have now apparently made it safe. His electric bill is now £1000 and the problem with the fuse box could have caused power surges or even a fire, he is going to be reported for being racist as he said he wants to speak to someone who can speak English,

 

Now what we need to know can this faulty box have caused this big bill and what can we do about this. The shower unit is left on the wall not connected with wires taped up, as Mullaley refuse to come back to his property as he has had enough of them and their unprofessional way of working.

 

 

He has told them to .... off, the council have now asked him to leave the property for the day so they can finish, he does not trust them.

 

Please any advice would be gratefully appreciate.

 

 

Mashmallow

Edited August 11, 2015 by citizenB
spacing to make reading easier

[stu007]

Hi

 

I assume this is Council Housing and your son is a Tenant.

 

Now your issue with the contractor you need to be careful in refusing the contractor the council housing asked asked to do the works as it may and I do say may be classed by them depending on the wording of his tenancy agreement as a breach of that tenancy agreement.

 

I would advise that your son needs to follow the council housing complaints procedure and he needs to exhaust the stages of the complaints procedure once they have exhausted the complaints procedure and if still unhappy they can then complain to the Housing Ombudsman (remember he needs to exhaust the housings complaints procedure before going to the Ombudsman)

 

Housing Ombudsman link: http://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/

 

Put everything in writing and ensure to keep copies, get free proof of posting from the post office.

 

I would also ask for copies of the following:

 

1. Complaints Procedure.

2. Customer Care/Standards Policy.

3. Asbestos Policy

4. Compensation Policy.

 

(Something to note: All complaints need to be logged and are open to scrutiny when the regulator does an inspection and they have to record it on there annual return to the regulator also)

 

With the electricity side were the contractors plugging equipment into the sockets in his property or charging batteries etc during the works?

[mashmallow]

Stu,

 

 

They did use electricity but to top it up on the first hand sometime ago my son noticed a burning smell coming from the electric box hence council attended and see there was a doggy fuse burnt out, don't know what he done but once again recently my son called the council again, this time Mullaley came down, there was an argument and my son tried to show the guy the fuse box but hence he told them to disappear. The council came down this time and their electrician found a blue cable type wire which had burn out hence could have caused a fire, he left it safe apparently and said the board need to be changed immediately. Further to this my son has been issued a warning letter because apparently being racist towards non English speaking EU workers etc., The council are very cleaver as I mentioned before there was issues with the property but all the complaints and solicitors help came to no avail, all I am concerned about is the £1000 electric bill could have been caused by the faulty fuse board and there shoddy work, he has kept the burnt out cable for evidence, does he call EDF or go through the complaints procedure?