It is common for us to trust a friend, family member or acquaintance for the minor repairs or reforms that we need at home. If we mention that we want to make some arrangements in the house or that we need to change the bathroom or the floor, it will not take long for one of our relatives to appear to volunteer, assuring that he is what we commonly know as a "handyman". It is normal to be attracted by these offers that are not only based on the mutual trust existing in the relationship, but also entail a significant reduction in the price that we would normally have to pay. The professional services offered by companies or freelancers are usually more expensive since they have to collect VAT among many other obligations that result in greater expenses for the contracting service, the assistance of the handyman being very attractive for us.
But we must not forget that these services are more expensive not only because they are professionals in their field, but also because they have advantages such as springs or firewalls that will protect us against civil liability that could arise from the work even without the need for this goes wrong. It is common that these operations do not go as we wish and result in a mess proportional to the lack of professionalism, in these cases we have no major problem than fixing what is ours with the corresponding demand, if we consider it so, to the handyman. But the real problem that we can have is that the work affects a third party, usually a neighbor, and that they claim us for the damage caused.
If we have been duped by one of these handymen and it is too late to avoid the generation of damage that gives rise to civil liability, we have to follow the following steps:
We have to make sure if he is really a worker in "B" or if he carries out some professional activity related to the work carried out. Attend to any identification document that you may have provided us and that serves to identify you for the next actions against you.
In the absence of a contract, which would be ideal, we have to recover any supporting document of the work, it can be a budget, an invoice, some messages where the price and duration of the work are communicated or even a note on a napkin will help us to be able to Prove who was originally responsible for the damage. Anything is better than having only the verbal contract since in that case we will have it more complicated in the trial.
When we claim insurance, we must be aware that most policies will include clauses excluding coverage for reasons of modifying the home on our own, without relevant municipal authorization or simply clandestinely.
If you have had problems with the reforms of your house and you face the payment claims of the workers or neighbors, call us. We can make your insurance pay us.
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