I've been scammed :(

[grandpab]

I'm not sure how anybody can hire a service without first looking into their business first.

[belfpala]

Whatever.

/10char

An alternate version of that would have the fourth line, "Now motherfucker you're gonna get some."

[jrf773]

To the idiot that was bragging about scamming people on the internet and stuff like that, perhaps we need to draw a page from the pages of internet history, and introduce you to the story of a bonehead named Charley Wenzel and his shenanigans on Pirate 4x4. It'd be a good thing for you to read, and learn from his example of internet idiocy and assuming something...

[Deleted]

I live in the same country as you and my grandpa had almost the same problem.
He got some guys to refurbish his roof and agreed on a price. Instead they removed the roof and replaced it with new material and asked for 5 times the price they agreed. My grandpa decided not to pay them and they went to the police.
The police told them that they either go back and put his old roof back and refurbish it and take the money. Or they let it as it is and take the money they first agreed on.

I'm glad your grandpa's story had a happy end, good for him. Wish I didn't fall for the scam but they did ask me for the money after stripping the tiles next to drain pipe so... yea.
I won't fall for things like this again though.

[Deleted]

I've been a roofer for 10 years, could you take a picture of the damage they caused?

Ok, will do so in the morning as it's night here now. Thanks.

[breadisfunny]

Contractors are notorious crooks.

You still shouldn't have caved in like that though. Pretty weak move.

not all contractors are crooks.

[Eliathe]

Contact a lawyer who deals with this kind of thing. Other lawyers may be able to give you a recommendation.

The lawyer should be able to get someone out there to take a look at what was done to give an opinion on it. At that point you can probably pursue legal action agains the guys that did this. As long as you can find them.

I'm either totally correct or full of shit here, I have no idea how your country operates.

[belfpala]

not all contractors are crooks.

From my experience, most will keep trying to upsell. That's not exactly crookery, but also not exactly clean business.

[breadisfunny]

From my experience, most will keep trying to upsell. That's not exactly crookery, but also not exactly clean business.

well upselling is another way you make money. i don't see it as evil just another form of business. now used car salesmen on the other hand...they are all crooks.

[belfpala]

well upselling is another way you make money. i don't see it as evil just another form of business. now used car salesmen on the other hand...they are all crooks.

That thing with the tires? WTH? Why doesn't it have good tires already?

Sorry, you have to go full dick sometimes. Often. Most of the time.

[Rhaide]

Then call the police. You can't just stereotype big people as dangerous thugs.

They threatened to pack up and leave, not kick his ass.

It's like me saying, "Oh well I hired a black guy to fix my piano, but he hiked up the price on me and I still payed him because he was black and I was afraid he was going to kill me if I didn't".

Large people are by definition stronger in most cases. Being black doesn't raise your potential danger level like being big does, don't be racist.

[drwelfare]

Typical for the gypsys here. They do that exact thing, normally targeting the elderly/disabled/foolish.

If they do the work it is done very poorly.

[Stacyrect]

Long story short, I had a hole on the side of my roof. It was not a big hole, just that one of the tiles on the house had broke and rain was leaking. I wanted to have it fixed and a few days ago someone rang at the door. They had a firm that dealt with these king of things and were spreading flyers. I asked how much to fix the hole, complete with work and materials. He said a sum around 50 euros. I said great, and it was agreed they'd come today. So they did. 2 guys. We went to attic and one climbed on roof. He started removing a few tiles and I said that's not where the hole is but he said he needed a better footing. I don't know shit about constructions but it seemed logical.
Anyway, he went there, in the end had to provide my own tiles for fixing the hole. Fine I thought. He then said that it would cost close to 800 euros since he had to remove all the tiles toward the hole and clean the drain pipe. I said I did not ask for that and he said he had to or he would not have been able to complete the repair.

I said we agreed for 50 euros and I would pay 100 at most, not more. So he said that if this is the case, they would pack and leave. Take in mind I was now missing several tiles from the roof which he had removed for footing. In the end he placed those back and then demanded the 800 euros. I again said no and he said he'd call his boss and then it would cost more. In the end I gave in because they were 2 guys, bigger than me and with their work tools(so weapons). I eventually gave them around 500 euros after much bargaining but still, they scammed me, lied to me then demanded more.

I don't know what to do. If I go to the police they could say I am lieing and they are 2 against my word. I feel so stupid.

Not sure how it works in your country, but here in America contractors will usually give you a piece of paper which has the costs of labor/material and a price on it called a quote. If you sign a contract with them for that quote, they can't legally demand that you give them more and if they don't finish the job their are repercussions. To answer your question, it sounds like you were ripped off but I don't know the law in your state, I would definitely call the courts and file a complaint if I were you

[Deleted]

Thanks everyone who replied, thanks for suggestions, thoughts and sympathy. Here's the update.


Went to the police, a bored lady listened to the story while rushing me to "get to the point" then said they can't do anything and if I'd have called then they might (so not surely, just might) have been able to do something. I also asked if filing a report would do any good and if they'll do something to make sure this doesn't happen to others. She said no. This is the police here, this is why I didn't trust them in the first place.
So that's that. I took this as a life lesson on how not to trust anyone and how useless the police is. So, bottom line, even if I had truly called the police, they only "might" have been able to do something. This if they would have even come in time, since when I was robbed 10 years ago they came after 3 hours after I called them.