I'm a single mom who saved for yrs to replace my kitchen. This company convinced me they would give me the kitchen of my dreams! They ruined and damaged my house making me pay for all there damage and the kitchen they installed can't be used. The shelves keep falling, one large cubard is jammed - can't even open it. They drilled big holes in the doors where the handles went, the cubards are cracking.
They tell me they are coming to fix it and never come. I have been living out of boxes with my 3 small kids for 3 months when they promised me 2 weeks!
Please tell me if I have an option to make these people accountable for what they have done! He blamed his shotty work on me having personel problems from divorcing my husband! The vibe in my house wasn't positive!!!
Can anybody please help, I don't know what to do. They took all my money and me and my kids are living like animals in this mess!!
Did you sign a contract and did your home work on the company prior to signing?
Are they licensed and insured?
Do you have full proof of money that changed hands?
Yes, I have the contract and the cheques I used to pay him. He pressured me to pay him promising me that he would fix the problems. They even sloppily ripped out my garberater and threw it away bcus they said they didn't think I used it. I had to replace it and pay out of my pocket to replace it.
Me and my girls have been through so much in the last few yrs. We really needed this new kitchen and these people have destroyed my house! So careless, even nailing a bed sheet on my freshly painted wall. The painter was shocked at how disrespectfull they were of my home.
If you know of any way I can make them fix this please let me know. I am so desperate, I cant afford another penny and living this way is taking its toll on all of us!
Hello Lisa in Bolton
The first thing is to send a certified letter to their office.
In that letter you must state the following, IF THE KITCHEN THEY RENOVATED is not repaired to your complete satisfaction you will make a formal complaint to Ontario Consumer Protection.
Once you have given them a small window of time to repair the items you mentioned, then if they DO NOT RESPOND contact the consumers protection right away.
Also start posting info about them on any social sites etc.
http://www.ontario.ca/consumers/your-rights-under-consumer-protection-act
This link will show you how to get the ball rolling and these people could be prosecuted if they do not follow up on the work they promised to complete.
Sorry you had to go through this ...things come around and it will get better.
Anthony
I am very sorry to hear that you have fallen prey to one of the many fly by night renovators out there.
Anthony's response was correct. But in addition, be prepared to sue this company if it comes down to it.
If ever you are going to do further renovations......not just licence etc etc. Be sure you have referrals. And be sure you check them out. Every one who is looking for a contractor, please check them out before you proceed.
I wish you the best in getting the repairs, or getting your money.
James Fram
The two earlier responses are very correct. I would send them a registered letter and in that letter, I would ask for everything that was agreed upon to be done to your satisfaction. If you get no response then I would proceed with legal action, Companies like that tend to respond to legal action. I believe you have been fraud-ed by the company doing your work and that's not very moral or fair. I wish you and your kids all the best and hope you get justice from the wrong doing.
P.S. Fly by night contractors are popping up all over the place and it would be wise to share your experience on some social media but, reframe from using the company name that did the work until a later date. The last thing you need to do is get sued for slander.
www.consumerbeware.mgs.gov.on.ca/catsct/start.do?lang=en
and
www.ontario.ca/consumers/home-renovations-and-repairs
Small claims court would be the way to go. Contact your family lawyer and keep good records of all your communication. Even record with your phone if he comes to the door and harasses you, but remember, this can work both ways.
As far as suing and slander / defamation goes... some good reading...
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/defamation/
I just want to say thank you to u guys for answering me and giving me great advice. I am so upset that I am not thinking clearly. You have provided me with some hope that these guys will have to own up to what they did to me and my girls.
I didn't pick the cheapest quote either. They had all the bells and whistles to persuade me to go with them. The biggest thing was time. They promised to come in do the job and in 2 weeks complete it. They destroyed my walls in taking out the old kitchen and left me to hire another contracter to fix the damage. The guy they told me to call wanted 1200 cash to fix the damage. I called somebody out of the paper in Bolton who charged my 400 and did a fantastic job. He tried to rip me off every step of the way. Then blaming the vibe in my house as the problem. I am devastated, I cannot express how much this has impacted our lives! We are living in a disaster area!
I truly thank you for your advice. I am just a mom who wants the best for my kids and I work hard to provide it for them. It's very sad that another person can take advantage of a single mom this way. I am praying this works and soon, I know its getting us all down when we were finally looking forward to something good!!
Hi Lisa
You didn't mentioned how you came to find this company, if they are part of the Trusted Pro website be sure to write avery strong and detailed review, as Robert mention above serve them with a registered letter out lining what you want done and give them a specified time to contact you i.e. 2 weeks. Also you may want to contact some other contractors in your area and have them give you an estimate to fix what ever issues you have these estimates will come in very handy if this becomes a matter of the courts
As already stated you have several avenues to take in pursuit of reimbursement or completion of the work to your satisfaction. The quickest and minimal cost is a small claims filed in your local court house for about $60. Many disputes of a civil nature are settled in a priliminary hearing once the contractor knows your serious he or she will likely act one way or another immediately.
In addition to the above - and to aid you in presenting your case
1. Get a three ring binder with tabs. 12 tab minimum.
2. Make an index.
3. Start your index with the contract
4. Photos dated and listed indicating what the photos show
5. Any communication, letters, phone calls (dates) and what was exchanged or said
6. Any monies paid, cancelled cheques, cash advance, receipts
7. Copies of registered letters and postal receipt and delivery signatures from respondent
8. Any other info you may have that you think pertinent to your case (i.e. dates contractor showed up/left, unanswered calls, essentially anything else which shows negligence in contract).
This will be very well received by the courts should it get that far and it will be easy for the trier of fact to follow the chronological order of events. Of course it will also assist you in keeping things organized rather than flipping through papers, photos, et ceteras.
I posted this question and from the time this was posted I got 2 different contracters to come and look at the kitchen and both have said the work that was done was so poor that the kitchen can't be saved. It needs to be taken down and replaced. I am just in disbelief as they showed me why it can't be fixed and how bad the work really was.
The kitchen guy said he was coming to fix it and the only thing he did was nail the shelves down so I can't move them or adjust them at all now. So if I would like to put something taller or shorter I don't have the option of adjusting my shelves anymore. The contracters said he lacked basic measuring skills and used hammer to squeeze things that didn't fit. I did not see all these things until I started to put my things away and shelves were falling and cubards wouldn't close bcus they were hitting eachother.
I am devastated. I cannot tell you what this has done to my life. I have been living out of boxes for 3 months when I was promised 2 weeks.
Does anybody know if I take him to small claims how long it will take? I cant afford a lawyer!
This renovation really meant a lot to me and my 3 girls. It was something new and exciting for us to have a bit of a fresh start amongst so much sadness and despair. I worked so hard to pay for this and when the girls wanted things I reminded them that we were going to have a beautiful kitchen and they would put back what they wanted. They love to cook and the old kitchen was used and done with.
Somebody please tell me if there is any chance of me getting my money back and starting over? I feel like I have no hope and nothing I do will make this scum bag own up to what he did to us.
I would love to post pics of this disaster and show you what I am talking about! I don't know if I am allowed and if I can use his name. I have to act quickly because I don't know how much longer I can take this living situation.
I also have a baby amongst all this mess and when one of the shelves collapsed a stack of ceramic bowls crashed right over my head and luckily she was sleeping and not right beside me like she usually is. Its not safe and if something happens to one of my kids I don't know what I will do. The microwave shelf is really unstable and I know that's the next thing to come crashing down. Its a unpredictable hazard, with 3 small kids anything can happen.
There is no harm posting pictures, after all, it is your home. I've done it and most have nothing to say when they tell me they are capable of providing a service they are trained in. If they are not trained in what they claim, they need to find another career and stop stealing from people.
Can anybody tell how long a claim takes to go to court through small claims.?
I asked the contracter to come here and stand by his work and listen to what another professional had to say. He said is work is perfect and he doesn't need to.
My cubards are all rubbing, creaking when theyopen. 3 of them are cracked and he tried to add a piece of counter with cocking to the mud room counter bcus he measured wrong. Today he threatened me and told me not to contact again....that I have been warned. Now not only is he not want to take responsibility for what he has done to ruin my home, he threatened me and my childrens safety. I am in complete disbelief. I will not be bullied into accepting the horrible job he did. I am also afraid bcus I am a single mother with 3 small children and I live alone with them. We are still living out of boxes I am afraid to even use the kitchen as it seems every time I open and close something else breaks. I am emotionally financially drained. !!
Can somebody please help me. The other contracters don't even want to fix the work bcus they said they don't want there name attached to his terrible job.... I was told I cant even sell the house with the kitchen in such bad shape.
Lisa,
You have been offered a ton of valuable information in all the comments above. Now it is time for you to take action and do something about it or accept the job for what it is.
No one is going to come and fix someone else's mess without getting paid. I don't know anyone rich enough to work for free to do so. Nor will anyone come and stand beside you to point a finger at this guy, we are all people with emotions and when heated discussions evolve, something generally gets ugly.
So, contact your lawyer and proceed with something otherwise the clock ticks and it will be too late, these process times expire.
Sorry to be blunt, but you need to do this yourself.
I am very gratefull for all the advice. I did get 3 expert opinions and they are willing to write a report for court purposes and one of them offered to explain the problems to the contracter in question.
I am venting if anything. I asked if anybody knew how long it takes to process a claim through small claims court. NO never expected anything from anybody, nor would I take anything from anybody for free!! Please don't misunderstand me! Did I ask anybody to do this for me? I did read what I wrote, I don't think I did. But thanks for telling me that nobody is there to help....I know that!!
Take care and thanks for your advice, I will do it by myself in a timely manner.
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