Legal time-limit on completing renovations?

[Greg in Toulouse]

In December 2003 we accepted a "devis" dated 9/Nov/2003 to do some masonery work - basically building a front entrance: 2 pillars and some brick work - on which we could then hang a gate.

The mason said it would be about 5 days work.

He started on the 1st of February 2004 and the work is STILL not finished - not even half-finished. That by my reckoning today (September 2005) is about 1 year and 7 months.

We are basically fed up with ringing the guy - probably in the vicinity of 20 to 30 times now, only to be told, yes, I'll be there this week, and then he never turns up.

What is our legal status in relation to the "devis"? Can we just drop this guy and get someone else to come and finish off the work? or are we legally bound to the current mason who has no intention of coming back to finish the work?

What can we do from here?

Greg in Toulouse.

[Monika]

I thought this reply from Catalpa in the section House Renovation was most useful and might help you:

Did you get any of these dates in writing? If so, you're got something to beat them around the head with. If you didn't get the start date in writing, get another date - even if it is verbal - and then write to them confirming the verbal date. Send the letter registered mail (I think it is - in France - recommande avec avis) and the avis bit is a receipt, signed by the recipient, which is returned to you. So you know the company has received your letter the date of delivery - and the artisan knows you know this too! It appears that companies take this as an indication you're now serious about getting the work done and commit to the date. This is the route we've taken to getting work progressed over the past 3 months and it has worked for us.

Although it seems an insanely difficult thing to demand upfront, I cannot over-recommend getting a finish date set in writing or handwritten and initialled by the artisan on the devis. Start dates are nice but are almost irrelevant - if 3 days work is fitted in over 6 months. Get a finish date in writing - which will (usually!) be met.