service rendered without authorization

[cab1958]

What is the name of your state? texas
while i was at work one day, a painting contractor began painting the exterior of my house by accident. he had the address wrong. by the time i arrived home the work was 85% complete. while my house did need the work, i could not afford to have it done. upon finding out what happened, the owner of the painting company arrived at my house within 45 minutes and requested that i pay for at least some of the work. i told him of my financial situation and that i could not pay him. he attempted to get me to sign the work order promising to pay for what he called, his cost. again i told him i couldn't afford to do so. his crew had stopped working and was standing in my driveway. he alluded to the fact that the house wasn't finished and that if i didn't help him, he wasn't sure if he could finish the work. his persistence, coupled with the facts that i might be stuck with an unfinished product and that i was standing in my driveway among his crew, was a bit intimidating. i finally relented and told him that i would try to pay as much as i could over the next year. unfortunately, i wasn't able to pay him anything. it has been a year and a half and i have now been served with civil notice concerning this. do i have any recourse?

 

[HomeGuru]

What is the name of your state? texas
while i was at work one day, a painting contractor began painting the exterior of my house by accident. he had the address wrong. by the time i arrived home the work was 85% complete. while my house did need the work, i could not afford to have it done. upon finding out what happened, the owner of the painting company arrived at my house within 45 minutes and requested that i pay for at least some of the work. i told him of my financial situation and that i could not pay him. he attempted to get me to sign the work order promising to pay for what he called, his cost. again i told him i couldn't afford to do so. his crew had stopped working and was standing in my driveway. he alluded to the fact that the house wasn't finished and that if i didn't help him, he wasn't sure if he could finish the work. his persistence, coupled with the facts that i might be stuck with an unfinished product and that i was standing in my driveway among his crew, was a bit intimidating. i finally relented and told him that i would try to pay as much as i could over the next year. unfortunately, i wasn't able to pay him anything. it has been a year and a half and i have now been served with civil notice concerning this. do i have any recourse?

**A: you should have called the police that day. Now your goose is cooked when you go to court.

 

[lwpat]

My suggestion would be to do a litle investigating of this contractor. This is a common scam and if you could find some more "victims" willing to testify the court may take that into consideration.

Texas may also have a conractors licensing law. If he is not licensed then you will not have to pay. Contact the state consumer affairs office, usually under the state attorney general.

 

[HomeGuru]

So writer, what did you find out after reading the post form lwpat?

 

[JETX]

Actually, your post isn't clear as to what, if any, obligation you have.

Your post said, " i finally relented and told him that i would try to pay as much as i could over the next year."
Was this in WRITING??
If so, what EXACTLY did you agree to pay and on what terms??

 

[HomeGuru]

Writer, was the written work order signed by you?