Unprofessional Service Provider

Carel Broekman, from Pro-seal Building Services, was contracted to repair the carports at the complex and owners started to complain that they would have a white residue on their vehicles. The managing agent had to ask him a few times to come out and take and look to report on this work. He eventually came out and the trustees received the following email:

"Dear trustees

Carel went in to inspect the roofs of the car-ports. He has suggested you get the gardener/cleaner to go and clean these roof with some water and give it a scrub? It is a white powder not paint at all which seems to show up as and when there is a lot of dew in the morning or rain. The way I think about it is at home I have a bit of damp on my one wall I noticed that a bit of white comes from that damp almost like a powdery substance and I’m thinking this is very similar to that??? Your thoughts?

Is it not too high? Who will do this for you? Carel says it is only about 2meters high? I don’t want anyone standing on the roof as such what if it gives way. They should stand on the ladder and have a long enough scrubber to reach over and scrub down the rooftops here, what do you think?"

The trustees are not roof repair specialists and therefore needed clarity. We drafted up the following email, which we sent to Carel on the 18/10/2018.

Good day Carel,

Firstly, many thanks for your response below regarding the residue of the carports, but I am still confused, as this is not my area of expertise.

Maybe you could just help us understand the following:

1) How is the white residue, falling on the vehicles, caused by dew?

2) Why does this only seem to have happened on the carports that your company has worked on?

3) Why does this not happen on the other carports?

4) Why does this not happen to every units braai area, as it's the same as the carports?

5) Why do you believe that this is now the body corporates responsibility to outlay additional costs to resolved this issue that appears to only be in the area your company worked on?

6) May we have a contact reference on other clients that you have done the same work on, so that we may contact them for testimonies?

On the 22/10/2018, we send a follow-up email, as he had not responded.

On the 23/10/2018, I called him and he was very rude and unprofessional.

He said that he had sent through pictures to the managing agents and does not wash roofs, he repairs roofs.

I advised him that we are not in the business of roof repairs and would like clarity.

He stated that you are not interested in this matter and that we can go find someone else to do the work.

I advised him that we would have to take this matter up with the legal department and he ended the call.

We do not feel that the Body Corporate or the owners should concur additional costs for what appears to be pure workmanship.

We are seeking legal advice and will be taking this matter up with the Ombudsman, as he accepted payment and the work was not performed adequately.

We would not recommend this company to perform any work.

Carel was granted adequate time to respond.