I contracted a cowboy electrician in the pandemic. Small Claims Court - a FARCE

[Blossom74]

Small claims court - a farce

I have kept this brief but SO much more

 

I am 74 year old pensioner.

 

I contracted a cowboy electrician in the  pandemic. March 2021 Unable to be at home due to looking after someone with cancer. Written contracts. Paid in full when he said he had finished.

 

Only able to check some days later over half had not been done and the rest substandard/ dangerous. Ignored all my calls no certificates of completion  

 

Then said I would take him to Small claims he invited himself to my house and became aggressive and threatening. 

 

Would not complete the work or even discuss it  I had to threaten him with police before he would leave

 I paid for another electrician to do the work and replace faulty stuff (2nd electrician so disgusted with standard of work gave report.) 

 

Tried to negotiate 4 times with original electrician, asked for mediation he refused.  Submitted a claim

 

Hearing March 22.

I have NEVER  received ANY document from the defendant 

He sent illegible hand written  defence to court - I asked for judgement as I had not received any defence - refused - eventually sent hand written 2 page defence by the court - complained to Court it could not be read. Court issued order for it to be typed- nothing received - asked for judgement - refused- extension of time given to defence - nothing received -

 

Contacted court again - sent email attachment from the court 1 day before hearing the document was 26 pages long (not the one filed).-

 

 I was ordered to complete Direction order without knowing what the defence was ??

 

 "Telephone hearing" took place-

I tried to tell the judge that the defence documents were not the same but he was not interested he just asked if I had read it. he then told me to organise a Scotts schedule by the end of the week and send to court and defence ( the deadline was over a week before I was sent the order of what to do so had to do it blind)

The defence admitted in the schedule that over half the work had not been completed- 

 

September 2022 hearing cancelled costing 2nd electrician a days work.

 

 I sent a letter of complaint to the court about the conduct of the case but "they do not comment on the legal aspects they are only administration" I also asked about getting a record of the proceedings and was told I would have to buy it after the hearing from a designated company - ( it is per word )

 

- New hearing Jan 5th 2023 As the work carried out by second electrician was nearly 2 years before the 2nd electrician did not want to give evidence so I contacted expert and they discussed work and standards and the expert sent a report. 

 

Hearing Jan 2023 Defendant gave the judge documents to be taken into account not submitted before, I was asked if I would accept them, I refused as I had not received ANY other documents which was a deliberate act by the defendant who admitted it. (In spite of this the judge mentioned them in the judgement )

 

The case took 3 hours . The judgement was scheduled for 3.30 the following day by video link. The judgement took 57 minutes and my case was dismissed.

 

I am now trying to appeal but due to the length of the "judgement"  for a small claims it is going to cost over £1000. (I wonder why)

 

Can you suggest anything PLEASE 

 

 I do not qualify for free court costs as I only get part of pension credit as I have small savings for my funeral 

[Homer67]

What's the value of your claim?

[Blossom74]

Hi 

Claim value started at 1770 but after all court costs and court delays its now £3,040

kind regards