A Cautionary Tale

[confused.com]

This is a cautionary tale :
We employed Bulgarian workmen to carry out building work in excess of €23,000. Virtually weekly, large sums of money were requested for - materials (which was understandable) or to pay the workforce. This went on for almost eight weeks until eventually we decided enough was enough and we informed the principal man there would be no more money until the work was completed. This was NOT accepted gracefully and later that day two workers came to us saying they had not been paid, they had no money for food; they had severed their working relationship with the main man and begged us to let them complete the work - us paying for the remaining materials and their labour.
After a great deal of discussion we agreed to their request, mainly because we felt so sorry for them. However, the main man intervened - he was aggressive and extremely verbose and because we felt threatened we agreed he finish the work , but gave him a deadline.
The deadline was reached, with "work" being carried on in the dark.
The remaining monies were paid, minus the charge for equipment which was NOT used. Obviously he was not happy, but shook hands and left. The two workmen mentioned remained behind for some time - not working but hanging about.
When we went to lock up for the night - we found offensive grafitti on the outside of the walls and much later the following day (because it had not even entered our thoughts to check)- major water pipes to the "pump house" of the pool, severed and a large "chunk" removed.
The moral of this story is to my mind - "Do not employ Eastern Europeans"
We are devasted and are extremely afraid of what they might do next.

Confused.Com

[carbine]

Just to add to your tale of woe, the east Europeans are not the only ones to beware of.

A close friend of ours employed an English builder to build an extension, they agreed a price and they were told build time would be about 4-6 weeks. After some 4 months the builder still hadn't finished, due mainly to the fact he arrived at 9.30 left at 12.30 for lunch, came back at 2.30 pissed then went home at 3.

When tackled about it he just upped and left saying he had done all the work he had been paid for, leaving what had once been a pleasant home nothing but a shambles with leaking roofs and walls and ceilings not only not completed but already falling down!

[cantabrian]

if you going to employ anybody for any kind of work check their tools first if they are not spanish workmen and have only spanish tools they are CHANCERS!!! a lot of the local workforce are ok but there many farmers etc out there who want to get some experience at your expense!!!