Photographer not delivered...recourse and how

[veester]

Quick summary.....

 

Got married on 3rd Jul'10 - hired a video/photo guy.

Sikh marriage, so specialist video/photo guy.

 

Took him nearly 4 months to deliver photos/video; average quality, missed out key shots, chunks missing from the DVD video and totally inappropriatte songs dubbed over religous ceremony...he even spelt my name in 3 different ways on the video!!?!?! and photos on the DVDs!!!

 

Contacted him, told me he would sort it....2 months later...nada..nothing.

He is now ignoring my calls and emails.

 

Thought i would issue court claim, then realized his contract does not have a home address, his home phone number is always busy, and i only have his full Barclays Bank Details, name and phone number, and city in which he is based.

 

How can i track him down/get an address to issue proceedings.

 

The wife is totally upset by it as the family in India etc....having paid over 3k for this i would expect a lot better!

[IdaInFife]

Hi Veester,

 

Certainly need to get an address for him, does he go by his own name or a more general company name?

 

there are various things you could try like companies house

 

have you tried to see if he has a website etc?

[veester]

His name, i've got that from my dealing and also his bank details - NAME, MIDDLE NAME, SURNAME...his holding branch address...Account Number/Sort Code etc.

 

website - no address, home telephone number always busy....email addresses not working anymore (other than a personal hotmail) and i have tried to trace the owner of the websites but they are registered to hosting companies.

 

www.sikhphotographer.co.uk

www.shaadibride.co.uk

 

What can i do with companies house? I don't know his company name.

 

Can i go to the bank? Police? Surely this is theft/fraud/non delivery of goods etc.

[sequenci]

Can i go to the bank? Police? Surely this is theft/fraud/non delivery of goods etc.

 

Hi there.

 

I'm not certain the police will be interested, it's more likely to the civil matter. Your recourse is going to be via the county court and specifically due to the fact that it's likely this person is in breach of the supply of goods and services act.

 

There are people on this forum that are very good at locating people. I'm sure we will be able to give you as much assistance as possible!

[veester]

OK; well i thought i would punt that out there, "Sales of Goods Act it is".

 

Now to find someone i can enlist to help me track him down! Anyone??? can you point me in the right direction Sequenci?

[IdaInFife]

getting close

[Surfer01]

If you have his name try http://www.192.com/ for an address.

[ashmk]

Does the name Francis ring any bells?

[BankFodder]

The first domain doesn't seem to be registered.

The second one is registered to an address in Birmingham.

 

Did you really pay 3K upfront for photos and without knowing anything about the photographer??????? And why on earth have you left it so long? Very cool of you.

 

 

I would suggest that you get the address yourself from the Whois database and then go to the Land Registry online service and do a search for the property in the address and see who owns it. If you are lucky enough that the property is owned by the owner of the domain name then you are well on your way.

 

I would then send a recorded delivery 7 day LBA to the address and then sue.

 

Sue for all of your money back and add something on top for the loss of enjoyment. Keep it below £5k so that it remains a small claim and make sure that you sue him in his personal name trading as the business name. If it is clear that you are an individual suing a business, the case will be listed in your local court which will make it easier for you and more difficult for him.

 

If he is not the owner of the property then it will be more difficult because enforcement of the judgment might pose greater problems.

 

Of course it would be very helpful to you to go to the address and sit in a car within view to check that it is the right guy. Don't be tempted to get out and confront him or in any way know that you have seen him. You don't want to spook him or get into an argument or a fight. You just want to know that you are suing the right person.

[veester]

Bankfodder - sorry the URL was slightly incorrect on the first address: http://sikhphotographer.com.

 

I just registed on the WhoIS database, but am not getting a result showing any address in Birmingham, have i got the wrong search option?

This could arguable be spot on, as that is where he is based and his bank account is registered at a branch.

 

To an earlier post, the name Francis rings a BIG bell - initials F R Dickson

 

Once i get this address piece resolved, i will do as you suggest.

 

Thanks

[veester]

folks?

[ashmk]

Sorry mate I forgot about this post.

 

I will PM you the name and address in case it's wrong. We would not want to be naming the wrong person on an open forum.

 

Please post back and let us know the outcome.

[veester]

Thanks ashmk

 

So quick update; The name is spot on, he is definelty my guy, though when i did a land registery check on the address it is owned by someone else, perhaps he rents.

 

I finally managed to get my act together on WHOIS, and noted the company that does the web design is in the same area as my man.

 

I am inclined to contact the web hoster and see if i can plead with his "genuine" side and get a affirmative on my mans address/location. Failing that it is a bit of a punt, but i think i ought to stake him out as suggested or just register the claim against him.

 

I am lucky i have legal insurance, so i am also going to give them a call and see whether they might pick this up.

 

Any other thoughts?

[veester]

So an update...thanks for your help and PMs....the tracing service was not able to find my contact he had moved from the address in 2009.....

 

Not really sure where else to turn now....

[wackyone]

might be worth getting a friend to write to him at the business address asking for a quote, you will either get a reply saying he no longer works there but we will be happy to give you a quote or him asking when he can visit for the quote

[Mossycat]

Get a friend to contact him via his website as a potential bride/groom pretending to want to hire him for another wedding.

 

Once contact is established (and he thinks its another paying customer) you might be able to get an address out of him (eg by telling him that you want to send him somethimg to be included in the DVD)

 

Just a thought

 

Mossycat