• Interior Designer asking more than work done

Honorable Sir,
We hired one interior designer to do work of our house (resale flat). He gave us very high level estimate of items amounting close to 12 lakh. After 1 month of work we realized that he is not doing the work as we expected him to do or asking us whether he should do this way or not. He was doing his own ways . So we had to ask him to rework again. We were mentally exhausted explaining him all the things again and again , finally decided to stop his work . 
Asked him to ask his labors to leave our flat immediately but he threatened us that until we pay him advance of 2 lakh he will not ask them to leave. By that we had already paid him 4 lakh. We told him we will sort out payment issues first you remove your labor but he didn’t . Finally we called and agreed out of mental agony as labors still staying our flat to pay 2.5 lakh more I.e total 6.5 so I paid 1.5 more and then he removed his labor , remaining 1 lakh was to be paid . I told him I want to assess the work done from third party. How much it will cost me for remaining work and rework due to poor quality or work manship . 
He is threatening us he will take legal action. That I agreed to pay 6.5 to him and 1 is still pending . 
I get assessed the work done from another competent person he said what I have paid is more . And he had made mistakes in Square feet calculation, we realized when we asked third party . 
What should we do . ? Please help . Will it be criminal case? Or consumer case ? How can I stop him bothering our family
Asked 3 years ago in Consumer Law

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17 Answers

It would be civil case 

 

no criminal case is made out against st you 

 

no need to bow down to pressure tactics 


File poluce complaint against designer for criminal intimidation 

Ajay Sethi
Advocate, Mumbai
94689 Answers
7526 Consultations

5.0 on 5.0

- As per law , both the parties are bond with the contract for which they have entered , even oral contract .

- Since, the said interior designer not doing work as per your consent and contract , then you can cancel the said contract with him legally after giving him a notice for the same. 

- Further, if that interior designer is a firm , then you can approach the Consumer Forum against him and to claim compensation as well. 

- Further, for threatening you can lodge a compliant against him before the police and higher official . 

Mohammed Shahzad
Advocate, Delhi
13211 Answers
198 Consultations

5.0 on 5.0

If he files it will be civil case not criminal. If you file it will be consumer case

Prashant Nayak
Advocate, Mumbai
31930 Answers
179 Consultations

4.1 on 5.0

Hi, you have to lodge a police complaint against him if he troubled you. Further, you can also lodge a consumer case against him for deficiency of service.

Pradeep Bharathipura
Advocate, Bangalore
5604 Answers
335 Consultations

4.5 on 5.0

Deny that you agreed to pay designer Rs 6.5 lakhs 

 

there is no written agreement to pay Rs 6.50 lakhs 

Ajay Sethi
Advocate, Mumbai
94689 Answers
7526 Consultations

5.0 on 5.0

Let him file a case you can contest on merits. If he harrases you file police complain

Prashant Nayak
Advocate, Mumbai
31930 Answers
179 Consultations

4.1 on 5.0

1. It's a civil dispute for which no criminal action lies. 

2. It appears there is no agreement in writing and in such case he is entitled to be paid for the work done even if its not satisfactory. 

3. However to be on the safer side file case before the consumer forum. 

Devajyoti Barman
Advocate, Kolkata
22815 Answers
488 Consultations

5.0 on 5.0

- Since that designer is doing the work as per your consent and for which you have given contract him , hence you can deny to give any amount , and can send a legal notice to terminate the work assigned and to claim damages as well. 

Mohammed Shahzad
Advocate, Delhi
13211 Answers
198 Consultations

5.0 on 5.0

The interior decorator is threatening you with false claim, he cannot go to police claiming his dues especially when he has already taken a sizable amount from you without doing an work.

Instead you issue him a legal notice  stating the loss you suffered due to his substandard work, which was carried out by him in a oral contract that you entered with him and ask him to refund the the excess amount he charged from you.

After that you can appraoch the consumer forum for relief and remedy.

Was there any agreement in writing between you both, if so whether it was by a registered document or an unregistered document. 

T Kalaiselvan
Advocate, Vellore
84890 Answers
2190 Consultations

5.0 on 5.0

If he is troubling and creating constant nuisance in this regard, you may take the help of police by giving a complaint against him for creating nuisance at your flat every time.

You refuse to pay him even a single penny and ask him to proceed legally since he cannot do anything legally on this. 

T Kalaiselvan
Advocate, Vellore
84890 Answers
2190 Consultations

5.0 on 5.0

Dear Sir,

There is nothing to bother about. It appears that the designer is just attempting to extort money. It's a simple contractual dispute and at best he has a remedy under Contract Law through Civil Courts. It is not  consumer case, because you are the consumer here. In case he files a criminal complaint, you can explain the police and they will not bother you and direct him to move before the Civil Court. 

As far as troubling you is concerned, you can get issued a legal notice from any good advocate stating all the facts and counter threating him to take actions for criminal intimidation and harassment. To settle the dispute amicably you can offer him to get the survey done through an independent surveyor. 

Hope this helps. 

Best wishes.  

Agam Sharma
Advocate, New Delhi
617 Answers
6 Consultations

5.0 on 5.0

let him file the case and you can defend it comfortably. you are not entitled to file any case if you are thinking about that also. by entitled i mean that it will be futile exercise but you can do this to pressurise the designer. if you can prove that he cheated then you can easily defend but if the case is about overcharging then there may be an issue because overcharging is not wrong till it is bound by some law. 

in short you can defend your case so let him do it. 

Gopender
Advocate, New Delhi
384 Answers

4.9 on 5.0

sir you can ask them to vacate as it is your right. if there is any dispute about payable money then they can claim in court however they cannot stay in your house forcibly. if they do not leave then you can call police and police should arrest them if they do not leave. yes it is tresspassing. 

Gopender
Advocate, New Delhi
384 Answers

4.9 on 5.0

File police complaint against interior designer if he harasses you 

Ajay Sethi
Advocate, Mumbai
94689 Answers
7526 Consultations

5.0 on 5.0

You first create a record or evidence to cancel  or terminate the agreement/contract in writing ( not by email), send it to him by registered post to his address, instruct him to evict his labors from the spot or else you will take criminal action against them and him for criminal trespass.

After that on the basis of this evidence you may approach the police with a complaint against the labors for illegally occupying the premises, let the designer come to their rescue or talk to the police, you have to take legal recourse.

If you do not know the procedures to serve the legal notice for terminating the contract, you may take the assistance of an advocate. 

T Kalaiselvan
Advocate, Vellore
84890 Answers
2190 Consultations

5.0 on 5.0

- Firstly you should lodge a police complaint for his threatening before the police and higher police official 

- Then you can file a suit for Mandatory injunction against him for getting evicted the premises from him . 

Mohammed Shahzad
Advocate, Delhi
13211 Answers
198 Consultations

5.0 on 5.0

Hello,

It would be better if I can see the terms of agreement thoroughly but from the facts stated by you, it would be better to immediately file a criminal complaint with your local police station .

For detailed discussion kindly get in touch with me so that I can guide you specifically.

Thanks and regards.

Swarupananda Neogi
Advocate, Kolkata
2964 Answers
6 Consultations

4.7 on 5.0

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