Who do i report them to

[suzie1]

tha gardeners have left a mess in my garden, wrecked my expensive paving, and i paid them as they were being threatening, and i was worried. They finished the job, but the stairs on the decking have fallen apart and paving is coming off, not all but some. Who do i report them to, as they did a amateur job, and i know there must be someone out there that can help get my money back are demand they fix the problems. serious answers please. thanks

[dh001]

Can you initially contact Trading Standards regarding your question?

I will have a look tomoz night if you have no joy.

[suzie1]

I tried to find a number for trading standards, but every time i google it alot of things come up, so havent contacted them yet.....this gardner lives in another town, does that matter....thanks dh001.

[askyourgran]

I would try to contact the gardeners by letter and by phone. Give them the opportunity to put the things right within a certain time limit, and then you could contact Trading Standards and depending on how much you have paid out, perhaps start legal proceedings in a small claims court. Take photographs of all your complaints. If he isn't a bona fide gardener/landscaper I don't think you'll have a lot of joy. Trading Standards or the Citizens Advice Bureau will be able to help you.

[suzie1]

i emailed him and gave him 7 days to respond otherwise i will contact trading standards, but he didn't respond. i paid him £930, and got him from myhammer.com, but didnt award the job because he didnt quote me on there, he quoted the job via phone, so they say they cannot do anything.

[askyourgran]

I'd go the the Citizens Advice Bureau, or a solicitor for advice on the legality of your complaint and take him to court. Get photographic evidence. Did you get a receipt for services rendered?

[suzie1]

yep, i got a invoice, with spelling mistakes and no name and address of the gardener, just says downtoearth gardening and landscapers, and they claim they are fully insured.

[jno]

might also be worth recollecting how you came across these cowboys in the first place. Were they claiming to have qualifications they didn't have or something?

[puternut]

I think your best contact for trading standards is your county council as most seem to have a link on thier sites

Or mabe consumer direst

http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/

[Buenchico]

Trading Standards departments come under county councils. So you should find them listed in the phone book under the name of the relevant council. However they often direct callers to Consumer Direct, which has regionally-based advisers. Call 08454 04 05 06..

Although it might be worth phoning the gardener, in the first instance, to see if you can get things put right, any further communications should be by letter (using recorded delivery and retaining proof of posting). As you might need to start a legal claim you should ensure that all of your correspondence clearly shows both your name and address and that of the gardener. All letters must be clearly dated.

If you can't get things rectified you'll need to claim a specific amount of money from the gardener, as compensation. You should either get several written quotes for the work or (after getting such quotes) get the work done and retain a copy of the bill. Then you should send a letter (as above) headed 'DEMAND FOR PAYMENT'. The letter should make clear the amount that is being claimed, and the reason that you are claiming it. Further, it should specify a specific time period for payment, with the threat of legal action if payment is not received within that period. (e.g. "TAKE NOTICE that, if payment of the said sum is not received within 14 days of this notice, I will commence LEGAL PROCEEDINGS to recover the said sum plus LEGAL COSTS".

If you still don't get your money, commence an online claim, here:
https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/web/mcol/welcome

Chris

[suzie1]

they answered to my job on myhammer.co.uk website and i rang them and they came out to quote and the quote was cheap and he seemed friendly and like he knew what he was talking about, then he never bothered to turn up on occasions, ruined decking bannister, ruined paving, took ages finishing the job, my husband asked him why its all messed up and told him he wont pay till it is rectified, he threatened my husband and never came back, but i asked him to finish the job, and he sent some apprentices to finish it. they messed it up more, now i am £930 short and hubby isnt happy with me and keeps blaming me for paying them, but i was worried gardener might come back and smach the whole garden up, like he said he would. I should have gone to the police, but i wanted it finished so much. I know its my fault for paying them and letting them go without fixing it up, then i rang him and he was being mean and i emailed him, but no reply from him. I want him to be punished for what he has put us through. surely there must be somewhere where they can investigate.

[puternut]

suzie1

Did a search for 'downtoearth' and only found a reference to an Ediburgh firm. Can you confirm if you are in that area as it may make a difference to your plan of action?

[jno]

Trading Standards are probably your best bet; Chris's post is thorough and helpful as always. Good luck with this (and yes, you should have gone straight to the police when you were threatened... always listen to husbands, they are wonderful people!).

[suzie1]

im in sheffield, they are from manchester their web address is: www.d2egardening.co.uk

[Buenchico]

Oh dear! Now the alarm bells are ringing in my mind!!!

You've accepted a service from someone who provides no address on his website and who only gives a mobile telephone number. Further, his domain name is registered to the Bermuda-based company which hosts his website, rather than to a private individual or to a UK limited company:
http://webwhois.nic.u...x=44&WHOIS+Submit.y=8
That certainly doesn't look too good!

However all is not lost. I've found his home phone number (so that you can hassle the guy) and his address (so that you can send him the letters I've referred to above):
http://directory.myha...k/profile/downtoearth

Chris

[ELVIS68]

Were they Irish by any chance?

Sounds like a typical pikey scam

[beso]

Report the threats and intimidation to the Police.

[dothawkes31]

that address is actually ashton under lyne near oldham, it's on google earth i you want to look at his house lol

[dothawkes31]

ha ha you should see his front garden!!! it lolks like the landscaper packed in the job and downed tools, his house is an end of a row of quasi semis, pebbledashed, looks like ex local authority housing actually, did he have a dark coloured estate car?

[suzie1]

He had an r reg white estate type van car

[suzie1]

oh thank you to you all for helping me, i just want to prove to my husband that i will not let him get away with it and try and get my money back.