We had a terrible experience hiring a contractor for a $10,000 rehab job on our rental property. It was supposed to take 2 weeks but ended up dragging on for over 5 weeks. Throughout the process, he was rude, insulting us by calling us 'cheap' and yelling on calls. Now, he's even threatening legal action for $200, despite never providing the receipts for additional charges we didn't agree to. We've already paid him $12,000, and this has turned into a total nightmare for us as out-of-state owners. We documented everything thoroughly: texts, calls, dates, and payments. What should we do in this situation?
3 Answers
To be honest, offering gift cards as payment is pretty wild. It raises a lot of red flags about how professional he really is. It seems like you definitely shouldn't be paying him anything more without detailed receipts. Just tell him you’re not going to take any further action unless he can prove his claims. Also, for your peace of mind, consider leaving a bad review or rating to warn others about your experience.
Honestly, I doubt anyone would want to sue over just $200. It's not worth the effort. Sounds like this contractor is just trying to bully you. You might want to draft a demand letter instead, telling him to provide receipts or you’ll consider legal action against him for breach of contract due to the delays he caused. That might scare him off and put the ball back in your court. Plus, it's always best to consult with a local attorney who can give you the right advice on how to proceed.
It doesn’t sound like this guy is worth your stress. For $200, it really may not be worth the time and energy to keep this going. My advice? Just cut your losses and block him. If he starts making threats, you could contact a lawyer, as you might want to consider a counter lawsuit for the delays he caused. Either way, try not to let him get inside your head. Move on to better contractors in the future!