General Chat

My oh and myself have an allotment which is owned by a garden centre, we hadn't been well with a cold type virus for a few weeks so hadn't been down to check on the plot, boy did we have a shock when we did go down, all the veg we'd put in was missing, apart from the leeks, runner beans and strawberry plants, the rhubarb which was huge and overgrown across the path was decimated - 3 little crowns left, no leaves, shallots lying on top of the bed, at first we thought either rabbits had got in the plot or someone had helped themselves! then we noticed the lock had been changed, it turns out that a member of staff had given our plot over to someone looking for a plot in error (looked on the wrong chart in the office) the guy had queried it as he said the plot looked too neat, - raised beds, and a shed full of tools should have rang alarm bells with the member of staff, but no she told him the plot was vacant, so he dug almost everything up including my flowers, he was not too happy when he found out the plot was taken, he's been offered another plot, tho I suspect it will be full of weeds no shed or raised beds, we've been offered some winter veg as compensation - I'm thinking more positive, we can start afresh next year, and the guy did at least fill up two beds with compost from our compost heap.

We had in early spring, birds - starlings nesting above the soffit board by our front bedroom window, after they fledged we had a local joiner come and give us a written quotation for replacing the facia and soffit board, he asked for half the money up front reluctantly I agreed, he brought the wood around and my oh and I painted both side of wood with sadolin paint at £25 a tin, we used 2 tins, the alternative the joiner told us was to get someone in to paint the wood in situ, he came back when the wood was painted only to find we had a wasps nest under a tile where he would be working, so we got the local council in to remove it, work could then start on the facia and soffit, halfway through he told us that we needed to get someone in to cement the tiles or he could supply some plastic capping to cover the tiles and this would come in at £100 (broken down £60 for the capping and £40 for his work) he put us on the spot, so we paid up (I know what you're all thinking) this should've been covered by the original written quotation? Anyway he finished the job and told us the gutters had probably moved but if we had any problems to give him a call and he'd sort it out, well after contacting him 4 times he eventually turned up to sort out the leaking gutters, - 2 leaks, one either side of our bedroom window (when it rains it's like chinese water torture), he fixed the one leak, but a week later after rain, it was leaking again, he said he could fix it but would have to purchase a special sealant at a cost of £30, which we refused to pay for, needless to say I'm a little upset - who leaves 2 OAP's with leaking gutters for almost 3 months and demands more money? I wouldn't mind but this guy was recommended to me.

To say I'm stressed is an understatement, went for my cholesterol results on Wednesday, dr says it's coming down but my blood pressure is up (not surprising lol) so I now have a home monitor to check it for a week. happy days.

Oh blimey . Don't you sometimes think I have been done even though I was careful checking and was assured all was kosher

You think why cos i thought I could spot a scammer but sadly they can be very clever

Guess it's chalk up to experience and move on

Hope it's a better month

ShelleyRose
as you say the allotment will recover ...but as for that joiner ,any one who charges up front for work they have not done , IS NOT TO BE TRUSTED....my husband was a landscape gardener for over 50 years and never once asked for money up front .if it was a very large job he might put a bill in half way through the job ,most people were pleased to pay in 2 lumps . iris

Shirley-I'm getting the hang of it and Iris,

Yes I thought it odd when he asked for half the money up front, but as he's local and came recommended I thought it would be ok, I usually leave any decisions about getting workmen in to my oh but a few years ago he had a breakdown, and this time it was down to me, so I feel really bad about making a wrong decision. as you say Shirley I'll put it down to experience (or in my case inexperience)!! Sadly it's not just the money (though it was more than £400) it's the fact I've still got leaking gutters to sort out :-(

I did contact C Advice and they told me to send him a recorded delivery letter that stated the work had to be done in 14 days or the matter would be taken further - don't know if this will do any good? we'll see.

Thank you both for your replies.

Trouble is taking the matter further isn't a cheap 5 min fix either and the conmen know it!
Hope things look up from now onwards for you.

Caroline, thanks for your reply, I'm not sure if the letter will do any good, but T. Standards is the next step, (hopefully it won't cost us any more money)? I just don't want anyone else to get caught out like we have, I certainly won't be recommending him. :-P

I hate recommending anyone cos sods law says even though they did a great job for you they won't for someone else!

For what it's worth, my OH is having to do his BP four times a day for a week!! He finished a six week course of daily radiotherapy about seven weeks ago and his BP has been a bit erratic, but seems to be stabilising now thank goodness! I'm having to chivvy him a bit as he is, errr forgetful!!!!
Recommend Trading Standards. We used them some years ago to good effect and it was free! Not sure if they charge these days though!

Magpie thanks for your reply, I hope your OH is getting better and his BP has settled down, like him I took my BP four times a day for a week, and like him on occasions I forgot - had to get out of bed one night and come downstairs to do it!

Think the letter I sent the joiner has had an effect, as he's got back to me saying that as 'a goodwill gesture' he will purchase the special sealant at a cost of £30 to him and repair the leaking gutters - he has until Wednesday to do this. ;-)