opinions please (regarding Craigslist)

[DaveS]

Short version:

I had a bad experience with someone on craigslist, and I see them advertising again. Should I post a reply to warn other customers? Or live and let live?

Long version:

I contacted a person on Craig's List (www.craigslist.com) regarding installation of some hardwood flooring.

When he came to give me a quote, I made sure to ask lots of questions that I already knew the answer to, and to ask for references.

He is a flooring guy who got his hours cut back for the winter, and does side jobs a few days a week (at least that's the story).

He seemed like a sharp guy, had all the right answers, and gave me a fair quote.

I asked him to do the work (and to give me a reference).

He called on a Friday, and said that he'd be there on Monday, and that I should empty the rooms and rip out the carpet. Did it.

No show.

His wife calls a few days later (after several unreturned messages) saying he was sick and that he'd be there Monday.

No show.

His wife called again a couple days later (left me a message at work at 8pm) stating his current job went long and that, yep, he'd be there Monday.

No show.

I did leave him a couple more messages saying "at least call me and say you aren't coming". I wasn't rude, or mad, just "matter of fact".

At any rate. I decided to do the work myself, and got half way through and ran out of time and knees. I hired a couple flooring guys who work M-F for a flooring company in town, and Sat and Sun for themselves. They did a great job, for a fair price.

So... finally, still with me?

I see the first guy posting to Craigslist again. I am tempted to post a reply to his post with a "heads up".

Should I? Or do you say "live and let live"?

He didn't rip me off, per say - but 3 weeks without flooring or furniture was a bit of an imposition, and at least he could have been considerate and called me and let me know he wasn't coming, for whatever reason.

Hmmm... he is a big guy... and he knows where I live... maybe I'll just forget about it.

[parnelli]

Hmmm... he is a big guy... and he knows where I live... maybe I'll just forget about it.

That's got my vote!

[lcm1947]

Big guy? That doens't scare me one bit. You can take him. Yeah, well really I'd say stay quite. You never know what happened and yes he was wrong on not calling but surely he didn't take your job just to dance you around. Something happened to make him not come through. His wife did call those times so to me that shows something. To me unless I know something for a fact I give the other party the benefit of the doubt. My opinion.

[Kristofor]

Would you have liked to know about previous no-shows before you agreed to the work? I would. At the same time if he explains to a new customer "yeah, one day my kid broke his arm, another we were stuck at another job because a delivery was late, and the other time the material hadn't been delivered yet" then maybe they're cool with giving him a shot. It's often said that the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, and based on his I wouldn't want to hire him.

Kristofor.

[just4funsies]

I suspect that he is doing this to more people than just you, so he won't know who to blame for a warning post on craigslist. Just don't be too specific (just say "avoid this guy"). You might also check with the local Building Dept. to see if he is licensed, and with the IRS while you're at it. Under no circumstances would I try to get him to actually do the work, because there's little chance he'd do it right if he won't even show up. You could have been much worse off, and out a bunch of bux as well.

[jhart]

Anytime you're using Craig's List or anything on the Internet, you have to be somewhat leery.
Just recently (3 - 4 weeks ago) someone tried to scam me on an apartment rental, fortunately, I realized it before any harm was done. They represented that she was from England, moving here for a 6 month vacation, sent fake money orders for the 6 months rent and Security deposit (suppose to have been sent from her company) and wanted me to return some of it via Western Union. After looking at the money orders, you could tell they were fake. No water marks and no picture. I turned it over to the FBI. Haven't heard anything back yet.

Despite the above, the site is great.

[Mrs. Wallnut]

I don't know what I would do in that situation. But I do know that word of mouth is the biggest part of someone doing work for you. If word gets around others may not use him. So if he is local I wouldn't post anything just when you hear people talking about having floors done put in your two cents worth. Tell them your bad experience and then tell them about the men whom you had do the floors. I have found especially in our town that word gets around pretty quickly in the construction, (painting, flooring, drywall, etc.) industry.

and as a side note: Joe, my mother had that happen to her a year or so ago but it was for an old car (53 Oldsmobile) and the person said she was from Sweden or some place and sent her a money order and requested the Western Union thing. My parents did it and didn't know till later that it was fake. They turned things over and learned a lesson on that one.

[tribalwind]

i would definitely make the post,
in fact i have. many times. but then agian im a big guy myself

had bought a car for cheap on cl, month later teh connecting rod broke in the engine, more research showed it was from a PA auction >
saw him a few more times on cl,differnet emails but dumb enough to post his cell# all the time,and all teh car pics were in same driveway(duh)
called the cops and theyre going after him for stone-curbing supposedly.

despite the bad apples on craigslist its still an awesome forum and ive made lots of friends/money/deals etc on there craig jsut needs a bit more police stings on there , the drug selling and prostitution etc are out of control on NY's page.