Never again
New Member
Hello
I rent a field which I use to keep horses on.
I needed a paddock either topping or bailing for hay. I saw a recommendation for a contractor on an equestrian Facebook page so sent a message. He rang and arranged to come have a look.
I have never had any involvement with field management before and I admit to being completely naive.
He came out on Sunday 18th June, said he was bailing quite a few fields in the area and could cut it the following day, otherwise he wouldn't be able to do it. He said it would be £500 and yield app 200 bales. Field is only just over an acre and a half. We agreed to this and asked for his bank details. He refused and said cash only as he doesn't tell hmrc about his work.
On Monday he came and cut the grass which was knee high. He said he would return daily to turn it. We paid him £250 in cash as that is the limit on my husbands card daily.
He never returned till the Wednesday when he turned it. He said he was hoping to bale it that day. I told him not to as it was wet. He wanted the rest of his money. The actual yield was 125 small bales.
He only turned it once.
When we got to the yard on Wednesday evening he had bailed the lot. He said some of it was a touch damp and to stack it in the barn to dry out. It was soaking. Thankfully we did not put it in the barn lest it would have gone up in flames. The following day, some bales were fiercely hot. By Friday they were all burning hot and thick with mould.
I sent him a text message stating how unhappy I was. He turned up unannounced that evening at the field. Even when showing him the mould and the readings on the thermometers, he was adamant that it was simply a case of spinning it and rebaleing it. The mould would not be an issue. The mould is toxic to horses yet he said he sells it all the time and it's fine. I told him I want my money back. And I want it in writing. He just gave me abuse.
No contact. I message him Sunday 23rd June. He again turns up at the field unannounced. Very aggressive and really obnoxious. When he arrived we were splitting bales to lessen the heat. I have videos and many pictures. Again he sees no problems with the potential fire hazard he's left me with or the mould or the fact that I now have no money, no hay and no grass. He decides he wants to take the hay, spin it, bale it and sell it on. This cannot happen. He will kill someone's horse if he sells this. And he's definitely not taking it without my money back.
This hay is still on my field which is chained and padlocked. It is literally a mound of mould.
I have asked and asked for him to sort this but he just ignored me. He has now contacted me via text saying I will be getting a solicitors letter and he knows where I live!!
He has many businesses with different addresses, all doing the same thing ie: baling, farm machinery etc and I assumed he was a proper contractor.
I am genuinely worried about the horses now as there's no houses near the field. Any ideas please?
I rent a field which I use to keep horses on.
I needed a paddock either topping or bailing for hay. I saw a recommendation for a contractor on an equestrian Facebook page so sent a message. He rang and arranged to come have a look.
I have never had any involvement with field management before and I admit to being completely naive.
He came out on Sunday 18th June, said he was bailing quite a few fields in the area and could cut it the following day, otherwise he wouldn't be able to do it. He said it would be £500 and yield app 200 bales. Field is only just over an acre and a half. We agreed to this and asked for his bank details. He refused and said cash only as he doesn't tell hmrc about his work.
On Monday he came and cut the grass which was knee high. He said he would return daily to turn it. We paid him £250 in cash as that is the limit on my husbands card daily.
He never returned till the Wednesday when he turned it. He said he was hoping to bale it that day. I told him not to as it was wet. He wanted the rest of his money. The actual yield was 125 small bales.
He only turned it once.
When we got to the yard on Wednesday evening he had bailed the lot. He said some of it was a touch damp and to stack it in the barn to dry out. It was soaking. Thankfully we did not put it in the barn lest it would have gone up in flames. The following day, some bales were fiercely hot. By Friday they were all burning hot and thick with mould.
I sent him a text message stating how unhappy I was. He turned up unannounced that evening at the field. Even when showing him the mould and the readings on the thermometers, he was adamant that it was simply a case of spinning it and rebaleing it. The mould would not be an issue. The mould is toxic to horses yet he said he sells it all the time and it's fine. I told him I want my money back. And I want it in writing. He just gave me abuse.
No contact. I message him Sunday 23rd June. He again turns up at the field unannounced. Very aggressive and really obnoxious. When he arrived we were splitting bales to lessen the heat. I have videos and many pictures. Again he sees no problems with the potential fire hazard he's left me with or the mould or the fact that I now have no money, no hay and no grass. He decides he wants to take the hay, spin it, bale it and sell it on. This cannot happen. He will kill someone's horse if he sells this. And he's definitely not taking it without my money back.
This hay is still on my field which is chained and padlocked. It is literally a mound of mould.
I have asked and asked for him to sort this but he just ignored me. He has now contacted me via text saying I will be getting a solicitors letter and he knows where I live!!
He has many businesses with different addresses, all doing the same thing ie: baling, farm machinery etc and I assumed he was a proper contractor.
I am genuinely worried about the horses now as there's no houses near the field. Any ideas please?
