A FAMILY who paid a builder tens of thousands of pounds for a house extension have spent six months sleeping on their living room floor.
The Qaiser family paid a Dewsbury builder more than £85,000 to carry out the work, but 10 MONTHS later they are still waiting for it to be finished.
The builder says he will not carry out any more work until Khalib and Riaz Qaiser give him more money.
But the family say they have lost trust in him after work stopped last August, leaving their home a building site.
Mr Qaiser, a semi-retired taxi driver, and Mrs Qaiser live at their home with their son and grandson.
Mrs Qaiser said: “We have just lost all our trust in him to do the work we agreed.
“We have a contract and we have paid money up front and at stages, but it has never been spent on what it was supposed to have been spent on.
“We are living in one room, we eat, sleep and live in that room.”
The family hired the builder last April on the recommendation of a friend and were told it would be finished by late summer.
The exterior of the extension to the property was built, but not sealed, and the inside remains virtually untouched.
The builders haven’t even cleared the rubbish, leaving it dumped in the family garden.
“I understand that things may go wrong and more money is needed, but we haven’t even got what we have paid for so far,” the grandmother added.
“He told us: “If you don’t pay the work will stop”.
“We told him to finish the job then we would pay the rest, but he hasn’t.
“I am so upset about it. We just don’t know what to do.”
The family say the house is cold, damp and water is leaking in through the unsealed and exposed extension.
Mr Qaiser added: “We are suffering here, it is a nightmare living here.
“It had caused my wife so much stress, when will it ever end?
“Everything is a wreck.”
The builder who gave his name only as Mr Hussain of AGC Building Services said: “The job stopped long ago because of some reason – they hadn’t got the money to pay for it.
“I can’t remember what the figure is, I believe they already paid some but some was outstanding.
“I am looking forward to meeting them and discuss with them to pay.
“They should follow the contract and have to pay some of the money.
“I gave them receipts, I can’t tell you what figure.
“I last did some work in August but they owe me some money.
“I spent £5,500 from my own pocket. They owe me £27,000 or £30,000.
“After completing the property it is going to be in a worse state. The property is not safe structurally, I have told them many times.”
David Lodge, from West Yorkshire Trading Standards, warned all homeowners to draw up a contract agreeing on money and work to be done.
He added: “Most builders will ask for some cash up front for materials and an interim payment, but not repeatedly. The outstanding balance would be paid once the work is complete.
“I would suggest she speaks to her builder directly or through the person who recommended him.
“As a last resort Trading Standards can give advice on what reasonably should have been done.”
