Please spare yourself the headache

If I could select zero as a score i would, unfortunately i have to select at least one star. I hired them to renovate my kitchen, flooring and bathroom - tiling and plumbing. At the start i was optimistic as Wilson ***ner) was referred to me and i was told he worked on large developments.

Long story short it was not a pleasant customer service experience. Work wise we had to remove some of the tiling work done. When i asked him questions regarding the wastage of tiles he responded with aggression and shouted at me. When i asked him not to to talk to me in that manner he shouted at me some more. I chose not to engage him and stepped outside. Instead of coming out to talk about the matter reasonably he went to his team and mocked me and spoke about my "incompetence".

When other people from my family spoke to him he responded rudely.

Honestly to me it felt like i was dealing with a child. We tried to explain to him that he cant talk to people in that manner as he was aggressive and rude. But it was lost on him, he refused to acknowledge his behavior and as far as he saw he was the victim and kept calling us bullies. Which is ridiculous in my opinion given the fact that he started all conversations by shouting.

He told me i was not his boss and this was his project until he handed over the keys - so basically i have no say over my own house and can not question him and his work.

He also bought materials without running it by me and asking for permission first. I was just handed a receipt and told to pay. This was a red flag for me.

I also asked him to quote on electrical work and he refused and told me to find my own electrician.

The work relationship had broken down and i notified him the following day that i would no longer require his services. I requested he tell me his assessment of % of completion and we could assess if i owed him money as i had already paid 50% upfront. He came back with a 70% number to which i laughed at as i deemed untrue. As i had itemized billing i app**** % to each item billed and i think on an overall number it was closer to about 40%. Of the 70sqm flooring that needed to be installed only two bedrooms had been done and they were about 9sqm each. The bathroom floor and the shower hadn't even been started, and the walls were not completely tiled. The kitchen tiling hadn't even started. Yes, he had done the plumbing work but with all that work still remaining how was that 70% complete in his mind? I do not know.

I then proceeded to ask we stop all communication on this matter and take it to a neutral third party who could assess the project and money owed.

He did not take too kindly to me laughing at him and he sent endless messages back, calling me "stupid" and other names on Whatsapp. He racially profiled my other contractors - because of their nationality he called them "hungry" and desperate for work which he was not. I requested that he stop messaging me and he just would not stop. Eventually I blocked him on Whatsapp and me proceeded to send me messages via SMS. In the last SMS sent he felt it was appropriate to call me FAT.

He has terms and conditions on his quote that he deems as valid but i question their legality. He said because i fired him i was in breach of clause 1, 2 and 3 in his "contract" - actually a quote. Clause one - to paraphrase it was something along the lines - late payers get charged 11.5% - i was not a late payer as I had already paid 50% and requested arbitration. Clause two - to paraphrase it was something along the lines - he has all the rights to your property until all payments have been made to him, only thereafter will he return your keys. Clause three - to paraphrase it was something along the lines - If you cancel his contract due to a dispute you need to pay him. - in my opinion i think it was in full.

I did inform him that i would report him to consumer protection and write a review on HelloPeter - which i have now done. His response back to consumer protection was littered with what what i am of the opinion to be false facts.