Disgruntled builder demolishes street over "unpaid wages"

A row of new homes lies in ruins - allegedly wrecked by a builder with a pay grudge.
The man, 31, is claimed to have laughed and taken snaps as he demolished five empty bungalows worth £2.5 million.
When residents confronted him fearing their pads were next, he allegedly said he was targeting only those he worked on and was owed money for.
Some of the houses, weeks away from being occupied, may now need pulling down before they can be rebuilt from scratch.
Brickie Jeffrey Keys, 53, who worked on some of the homes in Buntingford, Herts, went to see the damage.
He raged: “We were meant to be returning on Monday but now don’t know what we’re doing for work.”
Police said a man, 31, of Harrow, North West London, was held on suspicion of criminal damage. They tweeted: “Potentially a disgruntled worker.”
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[@michaelsedgley3236]

If he rang police to tell them he's not been paid he would be ignored and told to go to court. Bills don't wait for court procedures.

[@bane3991]

It would also cost him a ton of money in attorney fees to fight it.

[@rjk69]

@@bane3991 It wouldn't, small claims court is cheap enough and you can add the cost of your application to your claim. You can apply online and it takes a few minutes.

[@russellhawkins366]

@@rjk69 That’s not what you would call a “small claim”.....

[@rjk69]

@@russellhawkins366 Small Claims Court is up to £10K, he was owed £600.

[@russellhawkins366]

@@rjk69 Thanks for the update - it was £100 the last time I heard... a few decades ago......

[@Sam-tt4vr]

Police arrest the bloke but won't do anything about the company that didn't pay him

[@mikeylopez9625]

It's civil matter at that point but him damaging his own materials he paid for...

[@Milesco]

@@mikeylopez9625 "His own materials he paid for"???

[@mikeylopez9625]

@@Milescoit is his property to destroy... A contractor pays for all that was used to build the house. So until he is paid that's all his property... And he can destroy it

[@markanthony5208]

Elvisrock 13, civil law vs criminal law. Now he won't get paid for sure, and builder risk insurance pays The developer. You guys are brilliant aren't you. Mechanics liens?

[@Milesco]

@@mikeylopez9625 : Oh, well you're assuming he's a contractor. My understanding was that he was just a worker. (At 1:01 the man is referred to as "potentially a disgruntled worker.")

[@72fordmaverick]

He took one for the team for tradesmen across the globe. As someone in the trades my entire life I want to thank you for standing up for us

[@mikelisteral7863]

get paid up front

[@KamiKai]

@@mikelisteral7863 You lose too much business. Other tradesmen don't ask for pay up front, so the customers go to them first. It's not an infinite market.

[@JohnDoe-yq8ox]

Nope, he screwed over the buyers and possibly his coworkers. He should have more directly hurt the people that screwed him out of his money.

[@83KJack]

@@JohnDoe-yq8ox trust me, he did. his coworkers can get other work. his employer will be held responsible for this and recovery is 10x harder than the initial startup. he probably ruined the mfer.

[@davidlafleche1142]

@@mikelisteral7863 That's what my father did and the carpenter cheated him!

[@Kingkejser]

I fully support that man. To hell with these companies treating us like slaves

[@stephenlyon1358]

Just lie flat

[@evognayr]

It's not just the big corporations, mom and pops will do the same.

[@JohnRock14]

@@evognayr stupid ass comment

[@Girtharmstrong69]

@@evognayr so what, should we go with communism where you get no choices at all and EVERYONE gets a terrible boss that doesn't care ? Atleast you have freedom to go work for someone else

[@Girtharmstrong69]

Also you definitely don't even have a.job so why you mad?

[@tigerone2353]

Kudos to the disgruntled worker. "You don't pay me- you don't move in"

[@markdsm-5157]

funny how not paying the man isn't a crime, but what he did was. I understand the logic behind it to a point, two wrongs don't make a right, but i believe both wrongs should be equal.

[@RATsnak3]

@@markdsm-5157 Two wrongs? Where is the second wrong? You cant just freeload. They didn't pay for the houses, so it isn't really their house to be upset about.

[@markdsm-5157]

@@RATsnak3 them not paying him was wrong. him demolitioning the whole neighborhood was the other wrong. It's really a no brainer. When i said both wrongs should be equal, i mean both wrongs should be criminal.

[@RATsnak3]

@@markdsm-5157 Demolishing the fruit of his own labor? What's wrong with that?

[@laa0fa502]

@@RATsnak3 he was not the only person working on that house. Now a whole team is out of a job while they demolish and re pull permits. I agree with what he did but I also agree it was wrong. Life can't be all daisy's sometimes you have to do the wrong thing to make the right point.

[@danielsmith8672]

They should have paid the man , they left him no choice , I would do the same , sick of these scumbags ripping off the working man

[@andrewwright.]

Well said

[@debclato5984]

Agreed! Is it so hard to pay people for work you have them do!

[@baconface2156]

The legal way would have taken month's or years in the meantime his workers would have been on the dole and classed as scroungers

[@nickjupp6868]

@BestCanKeanRob2 yes the firm goes bust the next day re open in a new name

[@flitsies]

@BestCanKeanRob2 If there were some kind of fast track system that forced people to pay what they owe then yes the legal way is better, but unfortunately there isn't so all this man has done is take back his work. If he is owed the money I couldn't in all that is decent say he is guilty of committing a crime, the people who owe him money are the one's who committed the crime but will get away with it.

[@user-qc1nv3bk9s]

Two and a half million pounds for these cardboard houses ? 500 thousand pounds sterling for EACH house ??? It is absolute idiocy and robbery of buyers !

[@Jafmanz]

You suck at counting.

[@christophertucker4917]

@@Jafmanz elaborate please?

[@markusdietrich6777]

@@lordsimon6141 look again at the footage... those are clearly timber framed houses... not brick or concrete homes...

[@sugarpop7377]

Кузьма Опёнкин frames made of wood . That can't last .

[@stanmelvin3061]

Nooo! The idiocy is on the part of the buyers.

[@stevenjohn1683]

Nothing but praise for the man standing up against the rats that don't pay up.

[@ffjsb]

You're exactly the kind of person that was boo-hooing for Jussie Smollett. You blather off some BS praise because your'e too lazy to get the full story. He got fired for LEAVING a company van in another country.

[@jcdenton5828]

Steven John he got 4 years in prison

[@Hecket]

Yeah and the idiot boss thinks it's smart to not pay someone who's capable of this and has subsequently gone to prison for it. You think next time he gets out of the prison he won't get even more madder and won't just gun down his boss in the street as he has nothing left to lose. Not paying for work you ordered and contracted out to do is making enemies for life and generally comes back to bite you. This is the golden rule in the construction business that you do not cross, you pay, even if you can only pay in increments.

@@ffjsb jussie faker smollet.....like owen smollet jones 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@gavindeeming2345]

millionaire rats aswell, scumbags

[@wowrulerlvl70]

I am a builder and I fully support this always put a clause in contract that states if wages aren't paid In full on time then you reserve the right to take down the work you have done.

[@CAfakmykak]

It's so wack that employers can not pay their employees and generally get away with it. But if that worker tears down the work he did but was not paid for, then he goes to jail.

[@capn]

Companies are always favored over individuals

[@xShounenx]

If he ain't getting paid, his labor was stolen, and he's just bringing his labor back 👍

[@backagain5216]

Your post would make sense if you didn’t include “wack” Even my spellchecker tried to correct the spelling. Try to grow up! Future employers frown on this ghetto talk.

[@ScurvyMcGruff]

@@backagain5216 I'm pretty sure CAfakmykak was just leaving a comment on KZbin, and not applying for a job. Future employers frown on a lack of common sense. Try to grow up!

[@backagain5216]

@@ScurvyMcGruff lol😂 Can you make any less sense? I’m so happy to be at my level of comfort. People like you celebrate ignorance because you are ignorant. I’ll guarantee with your logic, that you are one of hundreds of millions paying an extreme amount for rent and thanks to your low paying job, you have no savings! All could be avoided if you took ownership of what you are. 😀

[@honestcomments6060]

Everyone should act this against those "companies" who take them for granted. Nice job sir.

[@charliepearce8767]

Companies ? How about government..they do more damage ..

[@ShonTolliverMusic]

This is stupidity, short-sighted, and said by someone who has probably always had their way. You don't turn someone else's misdemeanor into your felony.

[@arvalb0]

@@ShonTolliverMusic it’s stupid and short-sighted to not pay someone working

[@Glidescube]

nice job? those were people's homes, innocent people.

[@honestcomments6060]

@@charliepearce8767 Those who believe and sponsor their government, deserve everything that the same government does to them.

[@eaglerandom5328]

Good. He did t get paid so he undid his work . Fair is fair

[@fjkong9924]

Police is rubbish, if someone doesnt pay you, you call police they will tell you this is civil matter we cant help you. If you destroy the work you have done Police: This is criminal damage.

[@flukeman022]

@@fjkong9924 civil matter? But it's stealing why should it be any different being a shop lifter?

[@stuwest3653]

@Grenherb You are a moron.

[@bobshanery5152]

@ooh la la "allegedly" Everyone here is ignoring this. I can see how MSM gets away with so much bs and people believe it.

[@vintage1950]

What about the poor people who were about to move in. All well saying good, but it has effected others

[@theworldgonemad469]

I'm sure this guy would of never gone this far without reaching the end of his tether! Pay people what you owe them...not paying peoples wages is as good as theft in my eyes!

[@om3g4888]

Wage theft is... by far, the largest form of theft and its the least punished.

[@theworldgonemad469]

@@om3g4888 its apparently a civil matter where as if you took a tenner of someone in the street you would be arrested! Its madness🤯

[@patrixmatrix7163]

💯 it's pathetic...someone buy this man a beer!

[@ukan.536]

It is theft.

[@DMC888]

If it were just wages it would be easier to resolve. Most trades are self employed, so it’s a case of company a failing to pay an invoice from company b. Company b may have already paid its employees and/or supplied materials.

[@Yuppa.69]

So basically company’s don’t have to pay you but when you undo what you’ve done it’s criminal damage

[@arvalb0]

How can company’s even go around not paying, is there missing a contract or what?

[@susanfudge1737]

It's not uncommon for wealthy people to NOT pay people. A man from the richest family in my town hired all kinds of people to build a giant store. He never paid them. Several people declared bankruptcy.

[@jefmoesy]

When u not pay people and break their lives, how can u not be worried about them killing you since they have nothing to live for anyways? I would make it my mission to kill the one that messed up my life.

[@lemmykilmister545]

I'd be getting out the shotgun at that point lol open your safe mr rich boi

[@dylankennedy6020]

It’s honestly sad how many people get blinded by wealth and just let the rich walk all over them. Super easy to take a case like that to small claims but people just assume the rich person will have a better lawyer. Then you have the weird redditors who just worship rich people like kings

[@JuanMendoza-qd5lm]

@@lemmykilmister545 lmao👍

[@matthewjk9016]

It's why you get paid in advance for 75 percent of the job. Once you run out of money while calculating labor and material and he doesn't pay for so I can finish? Well that's okay BECAUSE HE PAID I ADVANCE! What idiot does a job and not protect himself? Don't want to pay for materials and x, y, z. Then call another company. Once that juicy 20k check clears I'll start work.

[@boastyy]

My father has come close to that many times in his life as a machine operator. He said that was the worst thing about being self employed.Some people are nice until its time to pay, then they are like totally different people, there's excuses and waiting for weeks or months and still no pay, terrible, especially when you know they have the money to pay you. Its amazing the change of heart people have when you put the arm of the machine against the wall and threaten to smash all your work up, bad it has to come to that. Personally I think they need a good kicking...

[@devitus781]

100%

[@j.wwilson4866]

Violence isn’t the answer to anything ring citizens advise or if it gets to heated the police

[@walterlebzax9585]

@@j.wwilson4866 There's no violence here, it's demolition.

[@MrMannyhw]

Yea the builders should be required to pay up front. Half before and half after delivery.

[@j.wwilson4866]

@@MrMannyhw yes for sure keep note of everything write everything down I always carry small note book on me at all times , if any doubt at all involve the police.

[@KingsWorld2015]

Ffs just pay your workers! They work so you pay them, fair and square! - I don't blame him.

[@IBIZABIKE]

they never learn, someone did similar to a travel lodge in December. PAY YOUR CONTRACTORS OR GET THIS

[@IBIZABIKE]

@J Scotlandyes I read that and he has said it is worth it, he continues to smile and laugh

[@Jimmy-B-]

He prison for it aswell. They did actually pay but it didn’t hit his account in the morning

[@IBIZABIKE]

@@Jimmy-B- they must have done it before , I have had similar being self employed , my revenge is discreet but leaves them well out of pocket , I also send them a gloating anonymous letter a year later

[@halfbakedproductions7887]

The Travelodge man was paid on time but his bank had a glitch and the money was late showing up in his account. The glitch was in the news and affected all of their customers.

[@bigduphusaj162]

@@Jimmy-B- no he wasn't. This guy never went to any prison. Tf you talking about?

[@PrinceAndrewFucksKids]

It's not criminal damage when the things are still technically his. He owns everything until the work is signed off as completed. This is why builders rip down their fences and pull up slabs if the job hasn't been payed.

[@t900HAWK]

Different country different laws unfortunately still probably legal though.

[@bopodoq3069]

That is simply not true.

[@PrinceAndrewFucksKids]

@@bopodoq3069 please quote the law and or legislation to prove otherwise.

[@halfbakedproductions7887]

Not sure about construction and trades, but a few of those "you haven't paid for your skip so we'll dump the crap on your drive" people were taken to court and lost big time. Fly tipping and public order. Notice how nobody does that anymore. When the court orders you to clean it up and fines you more than the unpaid hire it's totally not worth it.

[@cpvsgvmnt2116]

That's not true at all. All that material was paid for by the company.. it's the property of the company. The title on the land, until sold, belongs to the company, and until escrow is closed and title is transferred and recorded, it all belongs to the company. The man was hired for labor.. he owns nothing there. I still am rooting for the dude.. but he is going to jail. Not paying him was a civil matter.. it's contract law. Him destroying property is a criminal act. Huge difference.

[@TheBenclark]

I’ve been taken for 5k in the past. Went to my lawyer he said it would probably cost me 5k to fight it. I even had contacts in place. Couldn’t afford to fight it and had to walk away. Still eats me up inside.

[@PubliusUSA]

I was a logger in Colorado working at 8k to 10k elevation. My boss stole 26k in wages in 2.5 years. I sued and my attorney took half. It took over a year to settle. I was underpaid to begin with...

[@markdegrange6445]

I’ve had the same thing happen so so many times. I understand. Time for all us contractors to take action like this or dig some 6’ deep holes

[@bigduphusaj162]

Never go into business unless you are willing to physically fight everyone you deal with.

[@lynam0]

Everyone whos worked in the building trades knows the score here, well played sir

[@darkwingduck3320]

That's the truth

[@thomashassall96]

@@darkwingduck3320 Yep, construction is ruthless.

[@darkwingduck3320]

@@thomashassall96 yeah i built a entire bulkhead in a woolworths and the subi i was subying for claimed he didn't get paid for the job 9500 in labour gone like that😡

[@bigduphusaj162]

Yip, I had to sort a "gangster" boss out who didn't pay me. Its really funny how people who act like gangsters are the biggest crybabies on earth when you do get to them. Nothing is more dangerous than a man on a mission.

[@philtanics1082]

Good for him. Best carpenter I ever worked with lost his business after getting screwed 2 jobs in row by big businesses not paying him, just because they knew they didn't have to. They have the lawyers, time and money to drag these poor guys through the courts and know people like my friend don't. He does top end work faster than anyone I ever seen and his rep was what scored him these big jobs with the biggest contractors, just when he thought he was going to make it big too his whole life crashed down thanks to those scumbags. Im glad some people can strike back.

[@arvalb0]

That’s why I have my motto in life, if someone destroys it like that, not paying because they can. You have nothing to lose so you can tear down there life. Hopefully not by committing a felony, but depends on what happened and how much I lost, I just might take someone with me.

[@Person01234]

I mean the obvious solution is to stop working for those companies, and high risk companies in general. Don't take those contracts.

[@karimtemri1664]

@@Person01234 how do you know if company is high risk or not?

[@Person01234]

@@karimtemri1664 Can they afford to tie you up in legal battles, do they have a history of doing it, are they just generally a giant scummy business.

[@IridescentW]

@@Person01234 "can they afford to tie you up in legal battles" Literally every company can. If they have the money to hire and expand, they have money for lawyers. Basically just don't work for anyone because they can all steal from you, and if you are a victim of wage theft (a felony), it's your fault. Victim blaming at it's finest, with the intelligent solution of "just don't work."

[@ottoschless4115]

Unfortunately where I live this needed to be done to a few customers who did the cowardly email that they weren't honoring the payment. They know the system and use it to their advantage because the authority that supports trades is as useful as a handbrake on a boat.

[@steveplayford1587]

I agree the law stinks about as much good as a midwife in a monastery

[@arvalb0]

@@steveplayford1587 how can big company’s even get away with not paying, I mean the worker must have made a contract siting how much he should be paid.

[@khrystleooo6994]

@@arvalb0 They don't have to honor a contract. Civil laws take years and money

[@Teh_Random_Canadian]

Lawyers, they tie the contract up in legal limbo until the contractor can't afford to fight it any longer. They will use all sorts of tactics, claim insufficient material was used, quality of work is sub standard ect.

[@bigduphusaj162]

Again I will say this till I die. Do not work or do business with anyone you're not willing to physically fight.

[@mattmccaughen8082]

As a construction working I'm 100% behind this guy if someone doesn't pay me I take my work back

[@thepsychologist8159]

Good on him. I love it when I hear stories like this. In my local area recently, I heard that a carpenter who installed a brand new kitchen who wasnt paid. While the owners weren't home, he broke in and ripped out the kitchen. I would love to have seen the look on their faces. Builders have families, trade accounts and bills to pay ... don't treat them like they've afforded you an IOU.

[@jamessmith84240]

Never underestimate the working man. We are expected to work hard with integrity. If we don't get the same back, the work can be easily undone and we call it even.

[@skadill]

Oh well don't know how people can sleep at night that build their business on the little guy carrying the costs.Hire someone-pay someone.

[@mr.giraffe7076]

It makes me sad to see the neighbors, the police, and the media treat this guy like a mental case. He should be lauded as a hero.

[@bobshanery5152]

@@mr.giraffe7076 Remember its "allegedly". This could of been a guy just mad for not getting a dollar raise, fired for bad work or something minor.

[@Ytnzy250]

@@bobshanery5152 Unlikely fella, in my experience of not being paid by companies who prefer to liquidate rather than pay wages to staff. I would've loved to have had this guys bottle. I'm assuming this company is still active so a civil court complaint should've been his first option.

[@steveo4141]

Spot on....the guy did what he needed to do.

[@8460437]

Donald Trump always does business this way. The contractors on his projects will present a bill and Trump will either not pay it or offer half because he says the “work was substandard”. If they want full payment he says “sue me”. Many small businesses have gone bankrupt because of this.

[@ericbstudios9807]

Guy's such a professional even while "destroying 5 houses" he left all the debris piled neatly in front of each house the same way! And he was nice and did not break any structural beams...they were just gables!

[@bigduphusaj162]

They are cheap tat kithouses mate they won't survive anything close to that. They wouldn't be insurable either unless you tell them major structural issues have been fixed in the past. Like if a house is repaired after a fire They need to tell everyone including the next owner.

[@johnmehaffey9953]

Everyone who has worked in construction can sympathise with this guy, I don’t think there’s anyone who hasn’t been done over by unscrupulous sub contractor’s, if I’d been there I would have got the kettle to make him a nice strong mug of tea

[@James__bond007]

I respect him for setting a precedent of worker respect in his profession, I am not familiar with the building trade but I imagine it’s very intense and it must be excruciating to not receive what you are owed. I hope more people who are disrespected take matters into their own hands like this gentleman.

[@blakevonsanden1099]

Good job fella people tried to take advantage that’s what u get!!!!

[@constantinclipa1360]

This was a Romanian bloke...which wasn't paid for at least 4 months...clearly he has had enough. that took balls

[@spitfireboy1]

A DAYS WORK FOR A DAYS WAGES! He took payment in undoing his work. I have been a victim of crooked company owners myself. I fully understand this man's dilemma.

[@NZCLUB_reals]

😂😂 that's THE most considerate demolition I've ever seen -tidiest piles ever stacked. I would hire a real professional like him but technically he owns all the material since he's paid from his own pocket.. there is no ownership of anything at present. he's within his rights to do what he pleases with HIS product..

[@Kevin-zz9du]

And the media just slaps the "disgruntled worker" label on these workers for standing up for themselves

[@farmerplops]

They got what they deserve, I'd also invoice them for the part demo job

[@Dumdum888888]

Guys not being paid for work they have completed happens way to often and the police don't get involved then. Hopefully this will make the money men think twice before ripping someone else off. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@sevenscounty409]

Undoing your work is only fair if you havent been paid your wages. Now let them use his unpaid wages to pull the houses down and build them up again. Sweat.

[@bmartin2304]

I've always said to myself if someone didn't pay me for my work, I would take time out of my day to go demo it all for free.

[@arvalb0]

Pro tip, only demo what you did, even if your caught and goes to court, it’s under your conditions since court would see he never payed you therefore you only destroyed your own stuff, and won’t get charged for others stuff, or his. However it depends on how legit the contract was

[@GhostDrummer]

My dad did a lot of handyman and remodeling work for years and only had someone not pay him one time. It was for a deck the customer’s wife wanted added on top of the work already paid for and the couple agreed to settle everything up at the end for any extra costs occurred during the work. When everything was finished, the couple refused to pay claiming they already paid and the extra work building the deck was something my dad never got in writing. Dad tried the legal way for a few months, but eventually he just showed one day while they were out of town and disassembled the deck. When the couple got back in town, they called the cops and said dad stole their deck. I was there when the cops came to my dad’s house. They asked about the deck. Dad told them he built the deck as an additional side job to the house remodeling, but when it came time to pay, the couple denied ever talking about the cost. That’s when dad produced a receipt from the store with the total spent on the materials and the husband’s initials with date verifying he knew how much dad spent. Since they refused to pay for the materials, dad said he just went to their house and removed everything he purchased because he no longer wanted to store the materials there. The cops just laughed and said the couple could try to sue in small claims, but that dad could too. In the end the couple attempted to sue in small claims court. The judge denied the claim entirely because, according to the judge, since there wasn’t a contract for the deck signed by either party, the couple had no right to claim the deck was theirs, and dad couldn’t claim he didn’t get paid for work completed (he wasn’t). He ended up using the materials on another job, but that was the last time he conducted business by word of mouth and a handshake.

[@Alistair2348]

Thats the third clip ive seen recently of buildings being demolished by workers due to non payment of wages. You would think the bosses would learn. Cheat a worker out of a couple of hundred pounds and suffer damages running into thousands

[@dawnygaming5263]

He got cheated out of 16k pounds, how is that even possible in the UK's 21st century.

[@leifharmsen]

I once had to blackmail a boss in order to get my pay. I said "So what? I can have this place shut down with one phone call and you know it!" I never actually had anything on him; I was bluffing but it worked. He must have been up to other bad things.

[@blacktemplar5970]

When will they learn that simple hardworking men just need to be paid properly for their hard work

[@Habitt5253]

I’m not sure what the laws are regarding this in the UK but had this happened in the US and I was on the jury I 100% would find him not guilty regardless of what the law said.

[@aerystargaryenii2565]

Thankfully thats why we have Republicans in court so criminals like this don't get away with destroying property all because they didn't work hard enough. Plus if something like this happened in the states it most likely would be done by someone who isn't even a legal citizen.

[@NoiFox]

@@aerystargaryenii2565 you don’t know if they worked hard enough or not, you seem to like talking out of your ass.

[@ogremair803]

My friend’s father once told him to always pay your employees on time. No wonder I took that advice to heart.

[@martincooke4837]

Don't pay this is what you get, Try it on the mafia you'll be getting a funeral

[@stanmelvin3061]

As far as the trades go, mafia pays their bills.

[@martincooke4837]

@@stanmelvin3061 How would we know that lol lol lol

[@AR7271]

Because they have a better code of ethics than most businesses and governments. They understand that you don't mess with a man's livelihood...or else you may get messed with!

[@martincooke4837]

@@AR7271 Mafia first to believe in the capitalist system hence no Mafia no econamy

[@scrambledmandible]

@@martincooke4837 Because the mafia at least wants to pretend to be the good guy

[@duppyconqueror521]

Don't pay will crush it away

[@Lenixionthegreat]

I know this is late, but I got the reference xD

[@Harold_Flite]

A bloke owed me 8 grand for a concrete driveway, after 2 months of not paying and avoiding my calls, I hired a friend's 20 tonne digger and pulled up at 6:30am to rip it up...told him he had 30 minutes to produce the money or hed have a pile of rubble in front of his house...and miraculously, out of thin air, his wife payed me in full....something tells me I should have done it sooner. People, if you have a working class contractor come to your house to do work...pay them.

[@ricks.1318]

Workers NEED to be PAID for their work .... NO excuses .......................

[@sidneyvandykeii3169]

I am not a Tradesman/Tradie. I have however heard about Tradesman being screwed over buy builders for years and years. In fact I work with an electrician that will no longer do work for contractors because of this problem. I have seen many KZbin videos from Tradesman complaining of this issue than will no longer do work for Home Builders because of this issue. The Home builders are rich while the Tradesman are just trying to make a decent living. The Builders will just bankrupt them in court with Lawyer fees. Good for this Tradie for taking matters into his own hands and standing up for his rights. Somebody set up a Go Fund me for this guy. Every Tradesman on the planet send in $10 or 10£ or 10€ for this guys Lawer fees to help fight theses builders who cycle through Tradesman by leaving a trail of unpaid Tradies in their wake.

[@wolfblitzer1981]

If this was done because this guy did not get paid for the work he done I support him well done

[@jimmytj1907]

If he didn't get paid then he has the right to knock them down

[@pault5947]

No, he doesn't 😂😂😂😂

[@dr.2335]

Paul T Yes, he does.

[@pault5947]

@@dr.2335 Well, clearly the judge who sentenced him to 4 years thought differently. If only he had you as a defence lawyer, things would be different.

[@dr.2335]

Paul T you’re talking legal (not Lawful) right. I’m talking moral right. Come do some building for me; I’ll not pay you and we can chat again.

[@pault5947]

@@dr.2335 Ah, the old ''you wouldn't like it if it happened to you therefore I'm right'' excuse for vigilantism. Utterly meaningless. There's a very good reason why society doesn't allow people decide on punishments based on moral opinion.

[@richmac918]

Can't say I blame him. Too many owners and developers fail to pay crews once the work has been completed. I had an uncle that built a guy a brick wall and then refused to pay. My uncle went back to the job site some months later and ripped it down under the cover of night.

[@asmaar566]

Was he arrested? If not, thats great

[@cliffords.8341]

That was my wall. Now I know who to press charges against. 😁 Judy kidding. All jokes aside, that sucks when you work your ass off and don't get compensated for it. The guy got what he deserved.

[@richmac918]

@@asmaar566 Nope, no one knew who did it. The home owner suspected it was him but couldn't prove it.

[@usualdosage7287]

@@richmac918 hmm i wonder why he suspected it was him 🤔 so he knew he wronged him but didn't do anything 🤔 deserved tbh

[@djrosette]

@@asmaar566 according to a different comment I saw, the guy was arrested and will be serving 4 years of jail time

[@myazstar]

People are sick and tired of getting ripped off, especially by their own employers.

[@youchris67]

I am going trough this exact same crap right now from an ex-employer here in the states and who also cheated me out of money. I'm taking legal action against them, but I fully understand and I fully appreciate and respect this bloke's way of handling a work related dispute. Often times war is the answer. Cheers, to my mates on the other side of the pond. 🍻

[@stavrosgiannaros7041]

This is why i enjoy living in Egypt. We have debtors prisons. Debt is very real here if you dont pay! i just won a dispute for 22,000 British pounds, but another 3 grand in damages. He has 4 weeks to pay the cash, or get 3 years in Cairo prison!

[@nodak81]

Nobody enjoys living in Egypt.

[@stavrosgiannaros7041]

@@nodak81 taste is personal

[@stavrosgiannaros7041]

@@nodak81 i do. its safe, its cheap, its sunny 365 days of the year. Blue sea, white beach, good food, cheap beer, great nightlife :)

[@mphalo1804]

@@stavrosgiannaros7041 it's not safe if you've white skin, blonde hair, female, white skin in general tho would do for it not to be safe at all.

[@Yah-Izoa-Hakaboth]

@@mphalo1804 And we as Hebrew Israelites when we lived in the land of Goshen were eventually oppressed by the Egyptians, we were their slaves and Pharaoh disgraced us. Which had nothing to do with the color of our skin, because we all had the same color of skin. Dark or Brown skin people. But we weren’t welcome there and that’s why the LORD Sabaoth: the Holy One of Israel departed the sea 🌊 so we could be free from oppression.

[@sweethome9694]

People not paid him thy should go in jail!

[@jeremyberg1610]

Pay the man

[@shaneroberts6391]

Why not ? They expected him to build it for FREE , so why can't he unbuilt for FREE ! Makes prefect sense to me !!

[@NotKimiRaikkonen]

I own a lawncare business and have it buried in my contract that if you don't pay within 90 days I can legally come back and scalp your lawn down to 1.5 inches. I've exercised my right to do so about half a dozen times too.

[@krisnitsch1937]

Pass the costs onto the employer who never paid the worker.... This happens all to often when the fat cats make so much profit and the workers get peanuts

[@dirtwaterfoxdirtwaterfox963]

Well tbh you and the rest of the working men let it happen when you didn't support the unions and let them die

[@JasonFolk07]

@Truthfears Guilty yeah over priced for shotty work imo those houses in Canada would be a dime a dozen even tho its expensive to live here still tho

[@JasonFolk07]

@Truthfears Guilty it's the us what else do I have to say dude!

[@JasonFolk07]

@Truthfears Guilty bring your gun over the line and see what happens it's better out here dude that's all I have to say now plz let me watch halo news lol

[@JasonFolk07]

@Truthfears Guilty halo news go PTFO

[@jimwelch4628]

Good on him, as Sam says, the person who owes him the money gets away with it.

[@simonbaxter8001]

... he was last seen working on a Travelodge in Liverpool 😂😂😂😂

[@tommac5924]

No matter what happens chap ....Your a bloody HERO. !

[@leonkennedy7662]

I get upset when people don't pay me for checking their gutters and not finding anything. Can't imagine what not getting paid for building houses would do.

[@redsreds6598]

People should realise this is our living you don't pay we can't pay our bills. I have worked for people & the work is completed to there satisfaction I have splashed out on materials. When job is done they say ok we will pay later some of them made me wait for up too 2weeks. That may not seem long but why should I fund there project's. You don't go to asda & get £100.00 of shopping and say send me a bill I will pay it later. These people have no clue I got a house & kids if there was a problem with my work I can sort it but there never is. These people must stop doing this or there will be more tradesmen doing this

[@briangc1972]

As a contractor, I have changed my policy to require more money up front and final payment PRIOR to completion of work. So far I haven't lost any projects due to my requirement of payment. I am not a bank, I do not fund their projects or loan them money for materials. Too many dishonest people out there.

[@peterbalac1915]

Some people and companies are out to shaft you from the get go, twice in my working life I had a similar scenario. Started a strip and retile roof for a couple priced the job got it seemed really nice couple, finished the job they were very happy it was supposed go be paid on completion. First exuse waiting for a check book to come wk 1 then couldn't get hold of them wk 2 as a sole trader on completion that was my money not there's wk 3 a very early morning call got there attention, taken in the kitchen and told we cant pay you were in the middle of a divorce! Instant reaction I wanted to stick the ladder up and chuck to lot on there front lawn,,,,, that might have been very satisfying but it wasent going to get me my money. Took 9 months to get paid I couldn't tell my scaffolding contractor to wait or my merchant's. These two knew EXACTLY what they were going to do from the get go. Backk then times were hard interest rates were sky high, great learning curve never got caught again.

[@enochpowelghost]

Notice how this happens in the uk pay the man!

[@clonSanG]

Happens ever where

[@katssketches1118]

Oh dear, should have paid him

[@vicsanchez5100]

just pay crook!! mad respect for this guy; been there, done that .

[@Sua_sponte_is_weak]

My husband is a contractor and has had only two people try to not pay. I gave him my blessing to tear everything down.

[@karaloca]

The only criminal damage done was not paying a man for his labour.

[@thebeesnuts777]

One of the quotes of the prophet Muhammad was " pay the person on whom has worked for you before his sweat drys" So you can see that it's a very important part of a healthy society, majority of people live on a day to day basis nd to withhold nd delay money that is needed by the one who it's owed to is physiological torture nd physical

[@martinanderson1995]

Pity they dont practise what they preach!

[@darrell3O87OO]

Update: The unpaid worker had gone to the police and was sent away being told it was a civil matter. St Albans Crown Court sentenced him to four years imprisonment. The unpaid worker still has not been paid (as per available news reports).

[@q.e.d.9112]

@Billy The Goat Because that’s not the way the law works. He didn’t own the land the house was being built on. He hadn’t bought the materials. He was not paid for his Labour. His best bet would be to have taken a truck and to have seized building materials from the site. Tell the police, immediately after taking them, and inform them that you have not stolen them but are holding them as a lien against money you are owed. Make sure you inform the police before the other side do, because as soon as the police have been informed that it is not your intention to “permanently deprive” the owner, then they cannot bring a charge of theft against you. It has become a civil matter, not a criminal one and, more importantly, it puts the necessity to act on the other side. Instead of you having to sue them, they have to sue you.

[@Howrider65]

Yup I have heard of these builders not paying before. So don't blame him for being mad.

[@Tikolico]

Police shows up right away to arrest him, but I bet no one in the legal system cares to help him get paid for his work.

[@dembydish]

Can we do this figuratively with politicians who renege on their promises?

[@shanevonharten3100]

Pay up or pay dearly.

[@steviewright4556]

Love your work mate.CORRECT ACTION TAKEN.😈👍👍👍

[@snowman2970]

Agree with his actions, the real criminals are those who don’t pay !

[@falynch]

Why isn't wage theft illegal in the UK? Take money from the company you'd be arrested and charged but the company deliberate doesn't pay you it's civil? What's the moral difference? Zero

[@paulherndon8306]

Wish the tractor was way bigger

[@Straightshooterx71x]

Well don't have work done if you cant afford it, simples.

[@agus2001]

Is always cheaper to pay the people you made commitments with. I don't feel sorry for the home owners.

[@rickschuman2926]

Was it the home owners who did not pay or the general contractor? Either way, this guy needs some sort of help with his inner childishness.

[@MrBenchipy]

@@rickschuman2926 Maybe you can live without getting paid for your work

[@Milesco]

There weren't any homeowners yet -- the houses were still under construction.

[@rogerbarton497]

@@Milesco They could have been bought "off plan", ie a contract signed and deposit paid, also the purchasers may have been under contract to sell their existing homes, so could potentially be homeless, have to pay hotel & storage costs or get sued for breach of contract. You can bet your bottom dollar the contract with the builders will have an "unforeseen circumstances" get-out clause.

[@SgtJoeSmith]

@@MrBenchipy maybe his work wasn't done yet and had stuff to fix. You hire someone to build a house for you and roof leaks you aren't gonna pay till it's fixed and finished now are you

[@exoticspeedefy7916]

Moral of the story. PAY YOUR BUILDER

[@mpalmer7800]

Am in total agreement with this man!!! More ppl would stop mistreating workers

[@flitsies]

If you sell someone a car and they don't pay you can reposes the car and take them to court for any damages to that car, this man did the work he simply repossessed his work unfortunately it means other damage as well. The people who should be held to account for this type of action are those who refuse to pay for the work people do, clearly this man was desperate probably gone out of business due to the lack of payment. So the people who owe him money should be the ones in court for incitement to commit criminal damage as they caused the problem.

[@liamhainsworth26]

5 years ago I'd of been horrified by this. Now self employed and on the other side of employment, and been hit for more than £280,000.00 I understand every emotion that person felt.... Knock away those buildings.. the law won't get you paid; so it's a loose loose situation

[@RonniePickaring]

Lose lose*

[@Teh_Random_Canadian]

Why would you ever be horrified by this? Mess with a mans livelihood and you will pay the price. In some Countries it is legal to remove the work you did if you were unpaid for the job

[@mitchelljarvis2010]

Good on him! Don’t pay your staff.....reap the consequences! 👏 👏

[@J09-555]

"You remove my wage, I remove their house privileges"

[@helltoserbia]

Well done, to him, God bless him, I would like to know where is he from.........??????? Well done.

[@benth162]

Now that is what I call justice. If they don't pay you for the work you've done, then make sure they cannot use the items you built !!! Simple Really, if you try and screw me I will screw you !

[@sasquatchatbellacoo]

"And let that be a lesson to you all"!!!

[@derekbedford9833]

Good for him. This is exactly what should happen. Employer's are constantly taking advantage of workers. Hope the guy gets out of jail in a timly fashion

[@Tc-nu8cu]

he pebbly owes them damages now .. very sad

[@GodAboveAll777]

PAY YOUR WORKERS. FULL STOP.

[@thertis580]

This has always gone on. It's good to see working men dishing it back without the toffee nosed justices backing their crooked mates.

[@Outnumbered001]

Imagine not getting paid for your hard work and going to jail...

[@incognito5986]

Imagine it being worth it to him.

[@38dragoon38]

Good on him! I can guarantee that the directors and shareholders of the building company managed to pay themselves before telling their contractors that they couldn't be paid (no doubt, because of "Covid!"). Let's see if we ever hear the whole of the story.

[@minimanukuk]

I don’t think there are many working class folk that aren’t giving a little smile and a nod to that.

[@incognito5986]

Guaranteed the employer NEVER fails to pay again.