builder didnt finish work

[watteee]

i had a builder doing work im my shop,he completed 99% of the work but then fell ill,i waited about 3 weeks and decided i had to get it finished myself,2 months has now passed and he has called me to say he is back at work and wants the remainder of the payment which is a small amount,i paid more to finish it myself,when i refused to pay up he threatened me that i would need new locks on my doors,he doesnt have keys but i think he might have vandalism on his mind.where do i stand concerning holding back payment.

[joko]

he did 99% of the work. he should be paid for that.
it is not his problem that you paid more for 1% of work, than for 99%

I would offer him some but deduct some for him not finishig the job

[watteee]

thanks joko,thing is he quoted me �4840 for work,near the end he puts it up to �5000 stating he did 2 extra electric sockets i gave him it,on last day he tells me its now �5120,i tells him i will send him a cheque,he leaves,i start noticing things,faults,general finishing wasnt good at all,i phone him but he has fallen ill and is in hospital,i wait a week phone again still in hospital,bearing in mind this is a shop i have to get open and some some electrical things were faulty,i had to get an electrician in to fix these issues which cost me more than what i owed the builder,2 and a half months pass and hadnt heard anything from him...till yesterday,he wants the �160

[meglet]

He can't possibly expect to be paid for work he hasn't completed. He is absolutely trying it on. Don't know the legal position but morally you shouldn't pay him!

[joko]

ahh, i thought you meant you paid more than the whole job.

Yes, he cannot expect to be paid for something he didn't do.
most builders would have sent round a partner/assistant/ sub contractor or someone to get the job finished.

your contract with him was to have these things done - and quite simply he has not fulfilled his part of the contract.

show him a copy of what other jobs you had to pay for

tell him he is lucky to have been paid at all!

install cctv too - or at least tell him that.