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Subject: Cowboy builders
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Ch. Rajinder Nijjhar Jatt wrote:
These builders have put two others known to my friend in the same
situation and they have paid the builders sums of £40,000 each....
Now, the builders have disconnected their telephone line that used to
have a fax as well and there is no way we can contact them and it seems
the address is of a rented house. Mobile phones are not answered. I
sent them a Special Delivery Letter on 04 August, 05 demanding my money
back but no reply or telephone call.
The Company is a sole trader

So not actually a company, and that is a crucial difference in terms of
liability.

You can probably sue in the courts. If the court notice cannot be served
on him at his last known address it is possible to advertise the fact
that an action has been raised in the newspapers so the defender can
collect his copy of the court papers from the court. You need a
solicitor to do this.

If the defender doesn't attend the court hearing you should get
judgement in default. However, you are then left with the problem of
locating the defendant and getting your money out of him. If he doesn't
have any assets it's not worth sueing him.

Owain