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Campervan Fitter had me over a barrel
Hello all, first I must say thank god a website like this exists, I was recommended to come here after a friend managed to source support and have much gratitude for the contributors here.
Looking back at the dates I'm astounded to say this has been ongoing since my first contact with the camper conversion company in December 2023. I have a Mercedes 711D Horsebox converted into a mini cottage on wheels and was looking to upgrade the overall spec to make it fully off grid plus utilise the entire space as per my requirements for work. I funded the conversation with payments from my Ltd company of which I am the sole employee.
I was emailed a quote for £22,000, and paid a 10% deposit of £2200 for the work to begin September 2024. They confirmed the work would commence September/October 2024.
In October 2024 I was emailed by the fitter to tell me they were 'a little behind' and work wouldn't start until November/December 2024. They encouraged me to still strip down my van (no mean feat), and added that the other employee they worked with had now left, so builds were taking longer - up to 8 weeks, and it was unlikely to be finished by the end of the year.
In November I stripped my van, it broke my heart, I think in my gut I knew these people weren't to be trusted and this is the last time I will ignore my intuition. I email them to ask when I can drop him off and they tell me they are 'away' but I can come 5 December 2024.
I visit with a list in hand of the aesthetic I am looking to create and a clear list of what I expect in the build.
11 December they email me asking for a first payment of £9900, to be followed by x4 payments of £2475. I pay them £9900.
22 January 2025 they email me to say completion date will be March 2025. 4 months late.
4 Feb I email to ask for a build plan, 6 Feb they reply with a poorly drawn plan without any real substance and not at all to the professional standard I would expect. Promise to finish no later than end of April 2025.
Through February & March emails go back and forth and work looks like it is moving. By 5 March I ask whether they have started? 31 March they say they have built the units.
28 April I receive an email 'unfortunately there is a delay in completing your conversion I know this is so bad'
They pass me on to his mother to deal with the ongoing negotiations for completion. I need completion by the end of July due to work commitments.
11 June I receive an email saying they have started working on him again.
He returns the van to me Tuesday 5 August, incomplete. I travel 1000 miles in him doing work all over the country and live in him for 4 weeks, during this time I make a record of all the things I am not happy with and that are incomplete.
When I return the van I explain that I am not happy and he has not done as I asked. The fitter made his own decisions regarding utilisation of space, placement of electrics, and the fixtures and fittings were cheap and rushed, the carpentry not sitting flush in the cupboards. The issues were endless.
I send my complaint 2 October 2025. Fitter states that the build was rushed and unfinished and I should not have expected the work to be as such. reassures me that the final job will be completed to the standard I expect.
after significant to and fro I return my van on 17 December, with promises that build will be finished by end of January 2026. We are now 16 months overdue from the original date promised.
The completion date comes and goes and I send a formal list of completed items which is verified by the fitter and returned to me, with the promise that he will be finished by 31 January, this is thrown out the window. I give him more time, he says he only needs 2 weeks to finish the work, I give him until the 28 February.
I meet with him 13 February and not much progress has been made, I am in huge doubt that the deadline of 28 February will be reached. Fitter tells me to keep my money (I am withholding the final payment of £2475 until work is complete) and just take the van, at that point I can't as I've driven over in my kia and have no-one to help me bring him home.
I demand the return of my vehicle on 27 February and fitter refuses to release him safely unless I pay him £2300, which I pay under protest, as the work is incomplete, I would say 45% of the build has been done.
I have been very careful in documenting everything that has happened over the last 18 months, I have documents from them promising to meet deadlines then missing them again and again. I felt violated during the last meeting with him, being forced to pay for a job that isn't even halfway complete was morally wrong, his behaviour has been outrageous.
I want to create a letter before claim and a court pack, would love some advice here from anyone who might be able to help, I want to go to small claims court and get the entirety of my money back, I have evidence coming out of my ears but only want to include what is relevant and what will help me win.
Thanks,
Rappy.
Looking back at the dates I'm astounded to say this has been ongoing since my first contact with the camper conversion company in December 2023. I have a Mercedes 711D Horsebox converted into a mini cottage on wheels and was looking to upgrade the overall spec to make it fully off grid plus utilise the entire space as per my requirements for work. I funded the conversation with payments from my Ltd company of which I am the sole employee.
I was emailed a quote for £22,000, and paid a 10% deposit of £2200 for the work to begin September 2024. They confirmed the work would commence September/October 2024.
In October 2024 I was emailed by the fitter to tell me they were 'a little behind' and work wouldn't start until November/December 2024. They encouraged me to still strip down my van (no mean feat), and added that the other employee they worked with had now left, so builds were taking longer - up to 8 weeks, and it was unlikely to be finished by the end of the year.
In November I stripped my van, it broke my heart, I think in my gut I knew these people weren't to be trusted and this is the last time I will ignore my intuition. I email them to ask when I can drop him off and they tell me they are 'away' but I can come 5 December 2024.
I visit with a list in hand of the aesthetic I am looking to create and a clear list of what I expect in the build.
11 December they email me asking for a first payment of £9900, to be followed by x4 payments of £2475. I pay them £9900.
22 January 2025 they email me to say completion date will be March 2025. 4 months late.
4 Feb I email to ask for a build plan, 6 Feb they reply with a poorly drawn plan without any real substance and not at all to the professional standard I would expect. Promise to finish no later than end of April 2025.
Through February & March emails go back and forth and work looks like it is moving. By 5 March I ask whether they have started? 31 March they say they have built the units.
28 April I receive an email 'unfortunately there is a delay in completing your conversion I know this is so bad'
They pass me on to his mother to deal with the ongoing negotiations for completion. I need completion by the end of July due to work commitments.
11 June I receive an email saying they have started working on him again.
He returns the van to me Tuesday 5 August, incomplete. I travel 1000 miles in him doing work all over the country and live in him for 4 weeks, during this time I make a record of all the things I am not happy with and that are incomplete.
When I return the van I explain that I am not happy and he has not done as I asked. The fitter made his own decisions regarding utilisation of space, placement of electrics, and the fixtures and fittings were cheap and rushed, the carpentry not sitting flush in the cupboards. The issues were endless.
I send my complaint 2 October 2025. Fitter states that the build was rushed and unfinished and I should not have expected the work to be as such. reassures me that the final job will be completed to the standard I expect.
after significant to and fro I return my van on 17 December, with promises that build will be finished by end of January 2026. We are now 16 months overdue from the original date promised.
The completion date comes and goes and I send a formal list of completed items which is verified by the fitter and returned to me, with the promise that he will be finished by 31 January, this is thrown out the window. I give him more time, he says he only needs 2 weeks to finish the work, I give him until the 28 February.
I meet with him 13 February and not much progress has been made, I am in huge doubt that the deadline of 28 February will be reached. Fitter tells me to keep my money (I am withholding the final payment of £2475 until work is complete) and just take the van, at that point I can't as I've driven over in my kia and have no-one to help me bring him home.
I demand the return of my vehicle on 27 February and fitter refuses to release him safely unless I pay him £2300, which I pay under protest, as the work is incomplete, I would say 45% of the build has been done.
I have been very careful in documenting everything that has happened over the last 18 months, I have documents from them promising to meet deadlines then missing them again and again. I felt violated during the last meeting with him, being forced to pay for a job that isn't even halfway complete was morally wrong, his behaviour has been outrageous.
I want to create a letter before claim and a court pack, would love some advice here from anyone who might be able to help, I want to go to small claims court and get the entirety of my money back, I have evidence coming out of my ears but only want to include what is relevant and what will help me win.
Thanks,
Rappy.
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