Mobile Mechanic - have Judgment, what next?

[simonptkd]

After a recent clutch failure I engaged the services of a local Mobile Mechanic. The guy seemed reasonable on the phone, came round, inspected the vehicle and left a quotation. Whilst not excessively cheaper it did save the recovery costs so I gave him the go ahead. He had quoted for 4 hours labour and it was agreed that I would leave a cheque for him.

 

On the day in question I went to work and expecting to hear from him on completion around lunchtime was dismayed to arrive home to find a pile of parts in the front footwell of the car and no completed repair. Needless to say the cheque had gone. I phoned him to be told that he had been supplied the wrong part and he would be back the next day.

He was and was there the whole day....at the end of it he said job was done, new clutch master cylinder fitted. But the brake lights no longer fitted, reservoir cap was not in place, steering column was 90 degrees out and there was brake fluid all over the engine.

I voiced my disatisfaction. The cap was found and refitted, the brake light switch readjusted and the steering colum was realighmed by whipping off the steering wheel, including airbags. When all was restored I was now left with an airbag warning light. That night I checked my account and the cheque had already cleared.

 

Ipointed this out and he undertook to return the next day to reset it. The next day he did not and the clutch also failed again... he came back on the Friday rebled the clutch but could not reset the airbag. He disappeared and has not been back despite a number of letters.

 

I subsequently had the ECU tested and it was blown. To sort it out was quoted at just under £200 which I requested in a letter from him/or that he make good the damages. All correspondence was either returned or ignored.

 

I have since applied on-line for a small claims judgement. This was lodged with MCOL and the site now says that a default judgement has been issued.

 

Will I receive this judgement in the post, what do I do with it. It seems that if I want it enforced it will cost another £100 with no guarantee that the money will be received and half will be lost in enforcing it......

[ploddertom]

As Judgment has now been obtained I'll move you to the Legal Forum where you should get more help & advice.

[Ganymede]

You answer your own question in the last sentence Simon.

[steampowered]

There is no guarantee you will get anything out of this.

 

One option would be county court bailiffs. As you paid by cheque, you should be able to work out who this guy banks with and could perhaps enforce against his bank account with a third party debt order - see http://www.moneyclaimsuk.co.uk/PDFForms/EX325.pdf