Undertaking building work on your property, whatever it may be, can cause a number of problems you never imagined at the start. You may be renovating your home, building a new property or getting an extension. It might be smaller job like wanting a new kitchen to be fitted. At Martyn Prowel, we are here to help you if you have found yourself in a dispute with your builders and unfortunately, you don’t know where to turn next.
The problems we find coming to us usually entail a contractual breach of some kind. Often, people find themselves dealing with poor workmanship, unjustifiable delays and payment disputes. When dealing with your case, our main aim is to listen to you and if possible, avoid escalating costs by settling outside of court. We always try to encourage mediation wherever possible as this is often the best outcome for our clients. Court proceedings are unpredictable, and being able to settle out of court allows you the most control over your situation.
Things to look out for:
If you would wish to ensure the builders you have chosen are reputable, there are a number of things you can do to check.
- Check their website and social media – if they have a good reputation, it’s more than likely to be found online somewhere. Try and see images of previous work they’ve done, for example if they have an Instagram account.
- Check Companies House – if the builder is a limited company, you can check with Companies House for copies of their accounts. This will allow you to analyse whether the company is financially stable if you do bring a claim against them.
- Check for trade membership – ask the builder if they are a member of a trade association or professional body, and contact them to find out what assurances they can offer you about the builder’s work. It should be of a required standard.
- Check what insurance they have. At the very least they should have public liability insurance which is there to protect anyone who is potentially injured on site while the work is being carried out.
- Check the contract. If you employed a reputable builder, there should be a written contract between yourselves which outlines the terms and conditions of your agreement regarding the work. Check what you agreed to, and analyse whether the work which has been carried out fits with the terms of the agreement. If it does not, you have a potential contractual dispute.
- Take photos and videos of the work. It’s always beneficial to document what has happened to your property. This evidence provides weight to your claim.
If something doesn’t feel right, and it’s clear the builder you’re involved with isn’t as reputable as you thought, then please get in contact with our Dispute Resolution team on 02920 475 100.
What are the practical considerations I need to be aware of?
In civil cases, claims usually have to be made within the limitation period. In most cases, this is six years from the point at which a dispute arises.
In property disputes, situations tend to escalate rather quickly and we encourage clients to contact one of our solicitors at their earliest convenience to discuss a building dispute. Delays to your project are often incurred when taking legal action against a builder, and we aim to prevent this as much as possible by ensuring the appropriate action is taken.
At Martyn Prowel, we offer a fixed fee consultation with one of our solicitors to discuss the details of your case, what situation you are in with your builders and how to proceed. You will find out the potential costs involved going forward so you have a clear picture from the onset as to what to expect.
We have a very experienced team of solicitors who deal with a broad range of property disputes on a regular basis.
If you would like more information or to talk to one of the team about a building or property dispute, then please contact our firm on 02920 475 100.