Losing a lot of money, please help!!!

[SuccessfulFuture]

Hi, I have hired a contractor to do work on my house. Unfortunately, he still has not provided me with a contract and I paid him $20,500 out of 25,000. I know this was stupid of me. But now he does not show up half the time and does not even call. I paid him most of the $$ in cash or check made out to cash. I know, I know I screwed up. Please someone tell me what can I do. He is not even half way done. There is more but please help me withthis first.

Thanks.

I want to die! How stupid of me!

[grumpydasmurf]

Woooo you let someone work on your house WITHOUT a contract? Maybe for a small repair but that is a big big NONO!

Your best bet is to call a lawyer ASAP... and never do this again. Do what the lawyer says. Even consider calling the police for fraud. The key is to act ASAP!

Did you obtain receipts for the cash payments?

[SuccessfulFuture]

l I have is a paper where I would put the amount and have him sign next to it. Lately I strted to write out that "I blah blah recieved this much $ from blah blah for blah blah...." But I am still worried. I do not have $$ for an attorneys, but how much do you think it will cost me if i got one? Thanks

[Rich]

Get the lawyer - probably will be around a couple hundred dollars. You'll need advice on filing a lien and/or some other recourse.

[grumpydasmurf]

He can't file a lien? A lien against himself? He's the owner, right? Lawyer shouldn't cost anything to talk to. Call a few on the phone explain your situation and ask them what they will charge you for their help.

I know when we are in the reverse situation and home owners won't pay us our lawyer will do the collections for a percentage of the money due. Good luck. The best advice we can give is open your yellow pages to L and make some calls.

[Rich]

An owner can file a lien against a companies equipment, assets, etc. I'm pretty sure anyway :D

[grumpydasmurf]

Interesting. I need to look into that further. I was considering taking a coarse in contractor's law.

[Rich]

I've taken a contract law class - but it's been forever ago. I looked back at my book and can find nothing in the way of being able to lien a contractors equipment. The only recourse, that I could find, would have been a performance bond. I'll look into it further.. I hate reading legalese. :D

[SuccessfulFuture]

ok. thank you all. does anyone know any good attorneys in the NY area??? Please let me know ASAP.

The contractor stopped comming all together, he said he is not coming back, he did leave some of his equipment however.

Starting tomorrow I have new people coming in to finish the work.

Should I report this guy to Consumer affairs and does anyone think I will be successful if I took this guy to small claims court?

Thank you all for your help.

[Rich]

I would probably suggest to do anything and everything possible to put the guy under. So get the lawyer and see where it goes from there. Report him to BBB, Consumer Affairs, the news, anyone who will listen. Eventually it'll work out. Put locks on the equipment so he can't just stop by and get it - backyard maybe.

[grumpydasmurf]

I'm with Rich 100% here. The problem with locking his equipment is that he can charge you with theft, maybe. I hate how the law protects scum bags. A lawyer is a must in this case and his advice is better than ours. The news just loves dirt bags like this guy.

[Rich]

That's true - I suppose you could call it vigilante liening of the equipment. hahah. The SOB's anyway.

[SuccessfulFuture]

Thanks for all of you replies. Does anyone have a lawyer they could reccommend? I live in NY. Please let me know. thanks.

[Rich]

I wish I did. I'm a little far away though.

[Anonymous]

An attornery would probably advise against blabbing to media, clients, etc... the low-life could sue for slander. However, you can complain to ANY government agency you choose: law enforcement, state licensing, county code enforcement, etc. Keep calling around until you find a sympathetic government worker who, for some reason, has time to listen and care. He or she may lead you in right direction. Try to pick on ONE violation, in other words you may have to choose one battle at a time. Get your priorities in order. And getting your money back would not be number one, but eventually it will be time for that too.