ᐅ Architect no longer responding, partial invoice already paid
Created on: 3 Jul 2016 15:27
B
Bauherrin_999B
Bauherrin_9993 Jul 2016 15:27Hello everyone,
Since my nerves are already frayed before construction even begins, I wanted to ask for your advice. At the beginning of 2015, I planned to start converting the attic of my parents’ house. However, the project was put on hold in May/June 2015 for personal reasons. The architect sent an invoice in September 2015. Up to that point, I had only received a sketch without any measurements. He said the price included a sketch with measurements and a PDF version of the plan, which he would still send me. He also mentioned that we would have a credit if we continued working together and that he looked forward to further collaboration.
At the beginning of 2016, I contacted him to let him know we wanted to proceed. From that point on, he stopped responding to my emails, and I could only leave voicemails on his mobile phone. No one ever answered the office phone at his architectural firm. Initially, I thought nothing of it, as he usually has major projects in Frankfurt and spends weekdays there. But this went on for almost two weeks until he finally got back to me. We scheduled an appointment, and he brought the 3D model again — but I still didn’t receive the sketch with measurements. We discussed what changes still needed to be made and agreed that he would come back in a week. That week passed, he didn’t answer calls again, and no appointment took place. Eventually, he did get back in touch and came to the meeting. There hadn’t been much progress on the sketch, and I told him we needed to move forward quickly; otherwise, we wouldn’t meet the deadline for submitting to the local authority. Submission was planned for April. I asked him to finally send me a sketch with measurements so I could measure the attic space myself and get a feel for the room sizes. Progress was incredibly slow, which was frustrating.
On April 9, he last came by — he had an open wound on his foot and said that’s why he hadn’t been in contact. When he handed me the sketch with measurements that day, I asked if I could now start getting quotes based on it. He said, “No, no, this isn’t ready yet. A few small details still need to be revised.” Great. But he assured me he would finish within two weeks so we could submit on time. Since then, the best we got was one canceled appointment voicemail and a short call saying he would get back to me in a week — which was almost five weeks ago now.
He doesn’t answer his mobile, and he’s ignoring all our messages on the answering machine — first polite, then more firm. No one answers his business phone either. We then sent him a registered letter with termination of the collaboration and a demand for refund of the amount already paid, also requesting that he return the plans of my parents’ house that we entrusted to him for planning purposes immediately. The registered letter sat at the post office for a week and was not picked up, so it was returned to me. Now, we have sent the same letter as a certified mail to both his private and business addresses. Still no response. We set another deadline and also sent him an SMS and an email — no reaction. No one answers his private phone at home either. I have already contacted the regional architects’ association and asked for advice. They confirmed that sending the letter was appropriate and told me to contact them again if he continues to ignore us.
I find it outrageous that he won’t hand over the plans for my parents’ house. Without these, I can’t move forward, and he’s wasting valuable time I will never get back. This is really unacceptable!
If things are this difficult before construction even starts, that’s worrying. Does anyone have any suggestions on what else I can do? Do I have any chance of getting some of the money back, or is it simply lost? Unfortunately, there is no written contract.
Thanks in advance and best regards,
Tina (Bauherrin_999)
Since my nerves are already frayed before construction even begins, I wanted to ask for your advice. At the beginning of 2015, I planned to start converting the attic of my parents’ house. However, the project was put on hold in May/June 2015 for personal reasons. The architect sent an invoice in September 2015. Up to that point, I had only received a sketch without any measurements. He said the price included a sketch with measurements and a PDF version of the plan, which he would still send me. He also mentioned that we would have a credit if we continued working together and that he looked forward to further collaboration.
At the beginning of 2016, I contacted him to let him know we wanted to proceed. From that point on, he stopped responding to my emails, and I could only leave voicemails on his mobile phone. No one ever answered the office phone at his architectural firm. Initially, I thought nothing of it, as he usually has major projects in Frankfurt and spends weekdays there. But this went on for almost two weeks until he finally got back to me. We scheduled an appointment, and he brought the 3D model again — but I still didn’t receive the sketch with measurements. We discussed what changes still needed to be made and agreed that he would come back in a week. That week passed, he didn’t answer calls again, and no appointment took place. Eventually, he did get back in touch and came to the meeting. There hadn’t been much progress on the sketch, and I told him we needed to move forward quickly; otherwise, we wouldn’t meet the deadline for submitting to the local authority. Submission was planned for April. I asked him to finally send me a sketch with measurements so I could measure the attic space myself and get a feel for the room sizes. Progress was incredibly slow, which was frustrating.
On April 9, he last came by — he had an open wound on his foot and said that’s why he hadn’t been in contact. When he handed me the sketch with measurements that day, I asked if I could now start getting quotes based on it. He said, “No, no, this isn’t ready yet. A few small details still need to be revised.” Great. But he assured me he would finish within two weeks so we could submit on time. Since then, the best we got was one canceled appointment voicemail and a short call saying he would get back to me in a week — which was almost five weeks ago now.
He doesn’t answer his mobile, and he’s ignoring all our messages on the answering machine — first polite, then more firm. No one answers his business phone either. We then sent him a registered letter with termination of the collaboration and a demand for refund of the amount already paid, also requesting that he return the plans of my parents’ house that we entrusted to him for planning purposes immediately. The registered letter sat at the post office for a week and was not picked up, so it was returned to me. Now, we have sent the same letter as a certified mail to both his private and business addresses. Still no response. We set another deadline and also sent him an SMS and an email — no reaction. No one answers his private phone at home either. I have already contacted the regional architects’ association and asked for advice. They confirmed that sending the letter was appropriate and told me to contact them again if he continues to ignore us.
I find it outrageous that he won’t hand over the plans for my parents’ house. Without these, I can’t move forward, and he’s wasting valuable time I will never get back. This is really unacceptable!
If things are this difficult before construction even starts, that’s worrying. Does anyone have any suggestions on what else I can do? Do I have any chance of getting some of the money back, or is it simply lost? Unfortunately, there is no written contract.
Thanks in advance and best regards,
Tina (Bauherrin_999)
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