I'm another victim. I am having a nightmarish experience since I appointed Darren from Elite Tilers to do my outside pathway in Dec'17. I usually go through CheckATrade or MyBuilder, but he was recommended by Topps Tiles next door, so I went for him. He dilly-dallied and postponed the work for 3 months with some excuse or the other. Meanwhile, I had bought my materials, some of which was picked up by him. When I got fed up and asked him to return my materials if he can't do the job, he sent his guys to do it last Thu. On the day, his men confirmed that the gate I had bought based on the measurement confirmation by him was incorrect, so it cannot be fixed. Also, the edging that he had confirmed as part of the job cannot be done. I have to now spend a considerable amount of money + holidays to get a new correct gate. I told him I was even willing to absorb that, although the fault was his incorrect confirmation. I also transferred 85% of the agreed money immediately after, and confirmed transferring the remaining 15% i.e. full payment once the gate is fixed (although the edging was still also not done). He verbally abused me on phone, bullied and coerced me to part with the full payment despite the work not being completed with a 10 mins. ultimatum threatening to remove tiles and damage my property if I do not agree to pay him in the next 10 mins. I'm at work, so saw his message after half an hr. by which time he had informed that he has already damaged my property as I did not reply with my agreement in the 10 mins. timeframe. He has threatened to do further damage if I do not pay in full despite work not being completed and I absorbing all the cost for his incorrect confirmation. What options do I have to protect my property that he has already confirmed he has damaged? Can I take police recourse? I have all the text exchanges as evidence.
