Is Right Choice Solutions the “right choice” for building work?

                                       

By John Brace (Editor)

First publication date: 15th February 2021, 10:11 (GMT).

This needs to be published as a warning and is the first part of a series of articles, but let’s start at the beginning, the very beginning. Names have been changed in this article to protect sources.

Building work needed to be done on a house (painting, fence repairs, leaky gutters etc). Unfortunately these were urgently required repairs. The person who is the victim called Penelope* invited builders around to give a quote.

*not their real name

The builders came, gave a quote over the telephone (although Penelope* was not advised of the 14 day cooling off period), Penelope* was happy, they were happy.

Work started, despite the quote including scaffolding none arrived, some of the painting (including above the height that scaffolding is required for) got done but let’s not get into the ins and outs of the Working at Height Regulations 2005 or indeed the numbers of fatalities on building sites each year caused by falls from height.

A guy who either has the name (or alias) of Mick Trav kept turning up at Penelope*’s door, banging on the door and demanding money from her (always in cash). This attracted the attention of Harold* (Penelope*’s husband). By the time Harold* realised fully what was going on Penelope* had handed over thousands in cash.

*not their real names

However Harold* got suspicious and covertly recorded Mick Trav admitting to not providing scaffolding and admitting to VAT fraud. Voice is one of the few things most people can’t fake and doesn’t change.

Transcript of the relevant part of that covert audio recording is below followed by a sample of Mick Trav’s voice for voice identification.

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HAROLD: Just, just stop right, we had this conversation before that you’ve saved on the scaffolding.

MICK TRAV: Exactly.

HAROLD: So there’s no scaffolding right? So that’s a cost you’ve saved on?

MICK TRAV: Yes.

HAROLD: You also mentioned about that you wanted it in cash because of the VAT issue?

MICK TRAV: These drains have to be cleared. There’s quite a lot of more work to be left on, the doors have to be painted, the windows…

PENELOPE: Yes, you’ve got the fencing to do as well!

HAROLD: But you said that, you,

PENELOPE: Sorry.

HAROLD: You said if it was paid in cash the amount would be lower, correct?

MICK TRAV: Of course, here’s what I’m saying. I told you, I told you I need a thousand today…

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Mick Trav (Right Choice Solutions) voice sample

Then the builders on the instructions of Mick Trav (who had been overpaid in cash compared to the value of the work done by an estimated £1500-£2000) vanished.

If you know any information about the name or whereabouts of the builder known as Mick Trav trading using the business name Right Choice Solutions please leave a comment or contact myself the Editor by email at john@johnbrace.com.

However the general advice is to get quotes in writing and pay by a method other than cash that can be reversed.

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