Non-completion of Websites by Design Company

[campbells]

I hope members can advise:

I paid a London web design company in March to create/upload two websites to my domains and the owner gave me a deadline of mid-May for completion. I've paid the full amount (stupidly, obviously) and he's still only got them up on 'test' sites, refuses to complete them (paypal buttons, logo, etc.) and won't complete a new logo, signatures that I paid him extra to do.
He ignores all telephone calls and emails that I send. On the few occasions that he has replied he agrees to all my requests........ then just ignores me.

Can anyone offer any advice? Is there any action I can take against this?

Thanks.

[Birmingham]

how about asking him to send you all the files for the work he's done to date for a start including the test site. just so you don't end up completely empty-handed.

is there much work that remains to be done? uploading to a domain is easy but a logo redesign costs time or money

[fisicx]

Assuming that you have a copy of the contract, go see a lawler. It's amazing how effective a letter threatening litigation can be.

At the same time you need to be calculating loss of earnings due to the non-delivery of the websites so you can claim this back.

[Birmingham]

but if you go the lawyer route, you might be running up unnecessarily large costs which are not guaranteed to be retrieved (what if the web designer is an LTD company and goes into liquidation?)

[fisicx]

This sort of issue never gets to the courts. My suggestion was to get a lawyer to write to the designer pointing oput thier legal obligations to fulfil the contract. If they then refuse to complete the contract then trading standards will often intervene and you still have the option to go to arbitration. None of these options are expensive, I've used all three in the past with equal success.

All campbells wants is their site - so if the designer won't release the code or complete the contract then litigation is the only option.

[Birmingham]

that's interesting, especially if it's very cheap. can you recommend a solicitor for the job?

[fisicx]

Most lawyers will knock you up a standard letter for about £45 - that £4 for the letter and £41 for the their time: http://www.terry.co.uk/costs01.html

[erikko]

for me this should be put in the lawyer's hands because there's money and credibility involved. that's so sad for you to lose money and gain nothing