Cyprus-Forum.com

[Steve0505]

We purchased a house in Ayia Thekla about 16 month ago and about 2 month ago decided to landscape the garden to cut down on weeding etc.

We were recommended to a local garden centre who subsequently gave a price for doing the work.

It'll take about 3-4 days we were told, but unfortunately had to return to the UK before work started i.e. they did'nt turn up when promised.

About 20 calls and 6 week later they turned up, spent 3 week coming and going and eventually reported it finished.

We went back to check the work before paying the balance, but it was'nt finished, and they had dumped all the rubbish outside the house.

Again we rang and waited but nobody turned up.

So back to the UK without paying the balance, but informing them that when it was finished and the rubbish removed we would make immediate payment.

3 days later we had a call from a neighbour informing us that our irrigation timers had been stolen, after 2 days of trying to contact the gardener we found out that he had taken them and he would return them when we paid the balance.

Meanwhile the neighbours are watering the garden whilst we try to get them to finish the work

Is it just bad luck or is this common pratice as any further work we need doing we will use ex pat brits to do it.

[Get Real!]

In Cyprus one should always get a WRITTEN QUOTE with full details of the products/services to be provided, cost, commencement date, date of completion, etc. Only then do you stand a chance of getting a fair deal.

In Greek a quote is called a "Brosfora" with an emphasis on the "a".

"I want a written quote" = "Thelo grapti brosfora"

For those that are in trouble like our friend above you can always complain to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Tourism.

Online complaint form:

http://www.mcit.gov.cy/mcit/mcit.nsf/dm ... n?OpenForm

Good luck.

Regards, GR.

[mountainman]

Written quotes have the same value as verbal quotes-zilch.

Rogues come in every nationality, your best bet is to get recommendations from your neighbours and friends, not really any different from the UK.

[pantheman]

We purchased a house in Ayia Thekla about 16 month ago and about 2 month ago decided to landscape the garden to cut down on weeding etc.

We were recommended to a local garden centre who subsequently gave a price for doing the work.

It'll take about 3-4 days we were told, but unfortunately had to return to the UK before work started i.e. they did'nt turn up when promised.

About 20 calls and 6 week later they turned up, spent 3 week coming and going and eventually reported it finished.

We went back to check the work before paying the balance, but it was'nt finished, and they had dumped all the rubbish outside the house.

Again we rang and waited but nobody turned up.

So back to the UK without paying the balance, but informing them that when it was finished and the rubbish removed we would make immediate payment.

3 days later we had a call from a neighbour informing us that our irrigation timers had been stolen, after 2 days of trying to contact the gardener we found out that he had taken them and he would return them when we paid the balance.

Meanwhile the neighbours are watering the garden whilst we try to get them to finish the work

Is it just bad luck or is this common pratice as any further work we need doing we will use ex pat brits to do it.

Piece of cake steve, call the police, tell them the timbers were stolen and then direct them to the theiving bastards.

I bet a pound to a penny you get them back Pronto. If they complain about payment, tell them (in front of the cops - cos they also speak english) sue me and let them do the running around.

Don't just stand for it, they have broken the law. Period.

[devil]

Not as simple as that, by any means. They have not stolen the timers, because, by law, they remain their property until the bill has been paid in full. You cannot steal your own property. This is therefore perfectly legal.

Be warned, some neighbours had a very similar problem (the ground was unprepared and full of builders' rubble and they had covered it with 30 mm of topsoil, no manure, no fertiliser, badly placed irrigation system). The "landscapers" refused to negotiate a settlement and took our friends to court, where they lost and had to pay hefty damages on top.

[mountainman]

The "landscapers" refused to negotiate a settlement and took our friends to court, where they lost and had to pay hefty damages on top.

I thought i took for ever for a case to come to court or does favouritism play a part????

[CBMCJ]

Cypriots and proffesional are two words that really dont go together!!!!!!!!!!!!!! a bit like Military Intelligence.
Go to Home and Wood a DIY place in Paralimni, they have all the irrigation stuff you need to replace there, and I can highly reccomend at least 3 English Landscapers that would be glad to help at minimum cost to you and your partner.

[Tim Drayton]

Cypriots and proffesional are two words that really dont go together!!!!!!!!!!!!!! a bit like Military Intelligence.
Go to Home and Wood a DIY place in Paralimni, they have all the irrigation stuff you need to replace there, and I can highly reccomend at least 3 English Landscapers that would be glad to help at minimum cost to you and your partner.

That's rather a crude overgeneralisation, isn't it? There are cowboys in every profession and every nationality. I had a Cypriot electrician in to do some wiring a few weeks ago, and I was impressed by every aspect of the service he offered.
If you need some work done, the best thing to do is ask around for recommendations from people who have had similar work done.

[CBMCJ]

Ok! but how many times have you heard or seen what these people do? heres a great example, that i witnessed in Aiya Thekla whilst putting up two pergolas on a Giovanni site.
A cypriot gentleman pulled up outside a brand new completed bungalow in a rather battered pick up, which held in the back a bucket, some string, a sledge hammer (5lb i think), a small bag of cement .
he then used the string to measure a distance from the side of the bungalow along the outside wall about 90cm above the ground. He then marked the wall with some dirt, walked inside with his highly accurate string, when he came out again, he went to his pick up and got his s/hammer, en proceeded to smash a dirty great big hole in the wall. I almost fell off the pergola laughing. the hole he made was about 12 inches in circumference, he went inside a started hammering there, a new hole appeared about 9 inches away from the first. He forgot to deduct the thickness of the wall!. Guess what the hole was for? a 2 inch waste pipe. So Proffessional? not one Cypriot "trades person" on any site that i have met has ANY qualifications for construction/building/plumbing/carpentry/roofing.
but jolly good farmers in the winter.

[Tim Drayton]

Ok! but how many times have you heard or seen what these people do? heres a great example, that i witnessed in Aiya Thekla whilst putting up two pergolas on a Giovanni site.
A cypriot gentleman pulled up outside a brand new completed bungalow in a rather battered pick up, which held in the back a bucket, some string, a sledge hammer (5lb i think), a small bag of cement .
he then used the string to measure a distance from the side of the bungalow along the outside wall about 90cm above the ground. He then marked the wall with some dirt, walked inside with his highly accurate string, when he came out again, he went to his pick up and got his s/hammer, en proceeded to smash a dirty great big hole in the wall. I almost fell off the pergola laughing. the hole he made was about 12 inches in circumference, he went inside a started hammering there, a new hole appeared about 9 inches away from the first. He forgot to deduct the thickness of the wall!. Guess what the hole was for? a 2 inch waste pipe. So Proffessional? not one Cypriot "trades person" on any site that i have met has ANY qualifications for construction/building/plumbing/carpentry/roofing.
but jolly good farmers in the winter.

Yes, but you hear similar horror stories about cowboy workmen in the UK.