Hello,
This is my first post on a forum, which I wouldn't usually use, but I am so unhappy about the treatment provided to us by our damp proofing company, that I feel I need to tell others about it.
We instructed TapCo, a company based in Surrey and providing damp proofing solutions to customers in south London (where we live) to damp proof our bathroom, which did have a damp problem. TapCo sent a qualified surveyor to do a detailed report and survey of our property, which resulted in a recommendation of various works amounting to just over £2000. We accepted the quote and TapCo entered the property on Tuesday morning.
Despite always dealing with us, because our builder provided TapCo with the keys, TapCo have, since beginning work, only dealt with our builder and failed to keep us in the loop about any work done. More importantly, on Wednesday, we received an email from the managing director of TapCo stating additional works and prices of nearly another £2000 (including VAT). The MD wrote "your builder accepted these prices and the works are continuing". Of course, our builder had done no such thing (he had called us prior to this email to say that TapCo thought extra work was required), and TapCo knew full well who they were supposed to be dealing with - us.
When we replied stating that our builder had not authorised the prices and was not authorised to accept them, and that we did not accept new pricing almost doubling our original quote, TapCo failed to respond at all to our email, instead leaving us with radio silence.
The following morning (today), our builder telephoned us saying that the onsite worker at TapCo has called him asking him to collect our doorkey and that they are pulling off site.
We have paid TapCo a deposit of £1200. They have done no more than £300 odd of work and (although I have not returned to the property yet) I believe they have left the site with our bath, sink and loo in the garden, no plaster on the walls, and no damp proofing carried out at all.
Not only has their work been severely lacking, their quote been wrong (at best - at worst, we do wonder whether they are merely trying to extract further funds from us without justification) but also their manner (not responding to emails, dealing with our builder instead of coming to us) has been unprofessional and, frankly, rude. If they spoke to us, it may be that the pricing issue could be resolved, but as it is, their infantile and cowardly manner will leave us with no option other than to seek other contractors.
We are now faced with engaging other damp proof specialists to continue the work and to finish the job (properly). In the meantime, we are also faced with a further week of being unable to use our property and commuting from out of town to London every day for work.
I will never recommend TapCo to anyone and I strongly suggest you do not use them yourselves. If anyone has had any similar experiences, or has any recommendations for GOOD damp proofing specialists, the information would be gratefully received.
Charlotte
