GETTING THE JOB DONE

When paying for work always pay by debit or credit card. You may be able to reclaim your money if the trader disappears and refuses to return your payment and work has not been completed to your agreed contract. Your bank may be able to recover your money if anything goes wrong. The chargeback scheme applies for payments made within 120 days for debit and credit cards. You need to cite ‘breach of contract’ under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 to dispute the payment. Your bank will temporarily reverse it and give the trader an opportunity to defend it. If you pay at least a deposit by credit card, you can hold the credit card provider jointly liable. This is what’s called a Section 75 claim under the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

Never pay by cash. Avoid paying by bank transfer (often referred to as Faster Payment). Rogue traders often ask for this to prevent you from disputing the transaction with your bank. Never pay cash up front and avoid traders who insist on cash only. Some traders will say they can give you a discount for cash to avoid paying VAT. Although this may seem appealing, you are knowingly facilitating fraud and it’s a red flag that they are deceitful. Never pay a deposit before signing an agreement and never pay in full straightaway. This protects you from being ripped off by rogue traders who have no written agreement that can be legally enforced. Paying for work in stages (referred to as staged payments) provides.