My name is Sam and in 2022 my family contracted someone to build us some decking outside our house. We live very far out in the country and on a hillside and with my sister having a child on the way we wanted somewhere for them to play. We paid for a significant amount of work to be done and after it was finished (a process which took almost a year itself) we were told that the decking was so badly built it would have to be redone. We were advised to pursue a case in Small Claims Court and that to save on costs it would be better for me to represent my family rather than get a solicitor.
As it stands the decking is supported by lumps of rubble in some places and not supported at all in others. The boards are beginning to come up from the supports because either the fixings used were wrong or not used at all. Worst of all, the decking has not been made sturdy enough to even support the installation of railings along the edge of a steep drop, so my nephews can't play outside unattended. These issues were pointed out in two separate reports by accredited professionals.
The duty of handling the claim and the paperwork fell to me alone, despite being only one in a household of five adults, and due to a number of factors ranging from my complete lack of familiarity with court proceedings to a number of other urgent household financial issues being again laid at my feet, I missed a significant amount of required paperwork was unsuccessful in making the claim against the contractor. Not only that, but the court determined that I should pay a significant portion of his legal fees because it was determined that my unfamiliarity with the process counted as "unreasonable behaviour" in trying to resolve this issue in the eyes of the court.
As a family we have little in the way of money. Between cost of living rises, two small children, and a disabled mother, we are only able to make ends meet each month.
Please help us avoid further sanctions by helping us raise the fees needed to pay for this costly mistake.
Thank you. <3
Organizer
Samuel Curtis
Organizer
Wales