Do I have to pay if the company didn't finish their work for me?

Questioner

We have built a new house and wanted to have our stairs covered. We made an appointment at XYZ, this would take 3 days and then it would be ready. After 3 days it was not ready and appointment after appointment was made and the stairs were not ready every time. This cost me many days off, the seams are ugly, the PVC is all cracked and cut and sawn crooked, they say it will be fine and it is always wrong. They send me a bill in December that I have to pay for the stairs and it is still not finished. They were supposed to start in 2021 and now it is January 2024. What can I do?

Lawyer

However, if the work is not yet finished and you are unhappy with the progress or quality of it, you may have some rights that you can invoke. Under certain circumstances, you have the right to withhold payment until you are satisfied with the work that has been done. This is called a right of retention. In addition, the Civil Code (Article 6:262 of the Dutch Civil Code) states that if there is a failure to fulfil an obligation, the creditor can suspend fulfilment until the failure has been remedied. You should take into account the stipulations in the contract you signed with the service provider or supplier. This may affect your options. Please note that this is general advice and for your specific situation it is wise to contact a legal advisor or lawyer for detailed advice.