Betrayal

Yorky · 23-12-2006 8:56am #1

The builder of my house has been doing alot of remedial work over the last three weeks, begrudgingly but it is being done. Within that time things of low value have gone 'missing'. I've mentioned this to the site personnel suggesting it must have been a mistake on the part of the people concerned i.e. confusing my things with theirs. Nobody knows anything about it and nothing has been returned. I've informed the company director and he said he will reimburse me when the work is completed. Any one of about eight people could have taken the items.

The latest event is the one which has really floored me. Two €1 coins have gone missing from a toiletry bag in the ensuite between Wednesday and last night. During that time there were only two people working in the house and only one in that room. They are both retirement age men who are polite, genial and diligent workers and who I have got on well with for the last three weeks, to the extent I made them tea and mince pies before they finished yesterday.

I don't like to stereotype but they are just not the type to steal but there is no other explanation for it. I feel my trust has been utterly betrayed and it really is having an affect on me. Like I said, it was €2 but that isn't the point - its the violation and breach of trust.

The same men have more work to do after Christmas - about the second week in January - and they'll be in the house again.These would be the most competent employees the company has got and there would not be alternative personnel. How am I supposed to deal with them in future - do I just pretend it didn't happen and tell the Director or do I tell them the money has gone and risk alienating them? Should I send an email to the Director now or wait untilo after the holidays?

Someone said that because I have 'dragged' them back to do remedial work and expect a good standard, they might be involved in a wind-up process due to the fact that the items are of low value. There is only one person amongst them who would be like that and that's the Site Manager, who is not on speaking terms with me, and who is also one of the owners. I just can't see how the aforementioned two men would even get involved in that.

I have spent in excess of 100 hours attempting to get the builder back to complete works, had two reports done costing €1000 and have taken three weeks off work to supervise the work. I was going to let some of this pass but now I want to seek damages - do I have a case?