Can I un-recommend a tradesman?

Hi all,
I recently had someone in to clean my sofas. I gave a clear description of what material the sofas were made of via email, and discussed it on the phone, so he would know what he was working with in advance.
When he arrived, he started wet cleaning one of the sofas, with a machine, then stopped, as there was huge dark staining on the material.

He then stated he was not happy to continue, as the result was looking very bad. I also said I was not happy for him to continue, as I felt he was potentially damaging the material.

He had neither checked the composition of the material, nor did a patch test before he started working.
When I commented on this, he replied 'everyone makes mistakes', and asked me if I had ever made an error.
He then rang a few people for advise, saying he was obliging me as much as he could.

On looking at his website, there is no number except for a mobile number.

The sofa (although wet where he tried to wash it, does not appear to have any long term damage).

This man apparently is from a family business, with years of experience.
Judging from today, it really did not appear that he knew what he was doing.
In addition, after I said I didn't want him touching my other sofa, he offered to leave me a 'solvent solution' to use on it myself.
His suggestion was to put it into a container, and then I could use it.
I am no expert, but most of these cleaning solvents are toxic, and possibly carcinogenic, so this would have seemed like a very dangerous thing to do.

I can't ring the office to complain, because the only number available seems to be his mobile.

The company is XXXXXX
Has anyone else used them, or had similar problems?


Nicola

Re: Can I un-recommend a dreadful tradesman?

I think you should move on and forget about it to be honest.

Re: Can I un-recommend a dreadful tradesman?

The only reason I have posted this Cayne, is so that someone else would not have the same experience.
If someone advertises themselves as an experienced professional, and then do not appear to be so, I personally would prefer to know before I hire them.

Nicola

Re: Can I un-recommend a dreadful tradesman?

This man apparently is from a family business, with years of experience.

Click to expand...

Was he operating on his own or as a representative of a long standing business?

Brendan

Re: Can I un-recommend a dreadful tradesman?

It appears to be a family business, both from what he said, and what is stated on the website..

The only telephone contact details are his mobile.

Nicola

Re: Can I un-recommend a dreadful tradesman?

NicolaM said:

The only telephone contact details are his mobile.

Click to expand...

This is always a bad sign. There is some legislation that requires all businesses to provide a physical address on their website.

Re: Can I un-recommend a dreadful tradesman?

It couch cleaning considered a trade now ?

Re: Can I un-recommend a dreadful tradesman?

There is a physical address on his website.

His trade is cleaning, both domestic and commercial.

I had asked in advance if he was experienced at cleaning couches, and he stated that he was

Nicola

Re: Can I un-recommend a dreadful tradesman?

I have edited my initial post as suggested (thank you Moderators for feedback)
I would be interested to see if anyone else has used this company before.

Nicola

Re: Can I un-recommend a dreadful tradesman?

I have re-edited this in case it might be seen to be in breach of t&c.
Moderators, if this is not the case, I will re-enter the name of the company

Nicola

Re: Can I un-recommend a dreadful tradesman?

Nicola, I have been following this thread (which has been easy yet unfulfilling as it seems you are the poster with most replies to your own thread) and it seems to me that maybe you are being a little harsh on the 'tradesman'. (since when is cleaning a trade?) The guy in question got the facts from you via email and phone re the composition of the sofa, arrived to do the job, started without double checking what you had already told him (this was an error IMO, which he later acknowledged), stopped as soon as he realised something was wrong instead of pushing on in order to complete the job and charge for it, something which a lot of other people would do. By stopping when he did and saying he wasn't happy to continue, he proved his professionalism as far as I can see. He didn't try to do a job that he didn't feel he would be able to complete satisfactorily.

He tried to make some amends by offering you cleaning products so that you could DIY. It seems he didn't try to charge you for calling out, etc.
Fair enough, he tried to dig himself out of a hole by saying everyone makes mistakes, etc. I think by trying to pursue this on AAM as relentlessly as you seem to be and by naming this company, you could do unjustified damage to them.

Re: Can I un-recommend a dreadful tradesman?

Fair enough Baldyman, I take your point.

That is why I asked the mods,and why I have again removed the company name from my posting.

I don't want to cause harm to someone due to a one off mistake.

I did feel though from what I saw today that he wasn't used to doing this type of work, despite what he said, on direct questioning. It to me seems strange that someone who was used to doing this type of job on a regular basis (as he stated to me) would not automatically , before starting work:
1) look at what the material was made of, on the fabric label
2) Do a patch test.
This is very basic stuff.


Nicola

Re: Can I un-recommend a dreadful tradesman?

Peno,
Purely because he is supposed to be a specialist in this sort of cleaning (as he told me), and he unfortunately is not.

Not patch testing is a very basic error, if this is what he does all the time..
If he is an expert in this, that is a minimum standard, and he did not do this.
What is wrong with being unhappy with this, and stating that?

My comments as above are to try and give a balanced view of the situation, and to be fair to him.

Nicola