Conflict with contractor about wrongly sent invoice

Questioner

Contractor sends a high subsequent invoice after cancellation of assignment (halfway) with wrongly claimed work. In extensive e-mail correspondence, the invoice was disputed by me and substantiated. There was no response and after a reminder 7 days ago, a law firm now sends me a letter demanding 15% extra costs and suggesting legal action in case of non-payment. I would like advice on my legal position and how to respond.

Lawyer

Good afternoon, Annoying situation you are in. Since the information is not complete, no advice can be given in your specific situation. For example, it is not clear who cancelled the assignment or what the reason for cancellation was, what was mutually agreed in an agreement and whether general terms and conditions apply. You also indicate that the assignment was cancelled halfway through the renovation. Has the contractor performed his work well up to that point, etc. All these points are important in order to be able to give sound advice. In general, the following applies: Such an agreement can be seen as a construction contract. Such an agreement can be terminated or dissolved. The consequences of these two legal options to terminate an agreement vary considerably. For example, if you terminate the agreement, you can be held to pay the contractor for the lost profit. If you terminate, you (in short) only pay for work already carried out. In case the other party has summoned you in writing to pay, it is advisable to respond in any case. Legal support is advisable in such cases, as the settlement of such a conflict can be complex. Feel free to contact us without obligation to discuss the possibilities. Gr, Mr. Mr. S. Leito FerLei Legal 06-49175526