If I did home repairs for someone but they don’t want to pay, canIsue even if I’m not licensed?
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If I did home repairs for someone but they don’t want to pay, canIsue even if I’m not licensed?
I’ve done home repairs for a client 3-4 years now. About 2 weeks ago, they asked me to repair a leak. I did the work with a friend. It was a pretty hard project and took us 3 days (almost 20 hours); we opened up a hole, removed a cracked pipe, installed a new one and closed the hole. We asked $1800 but they didn’t like the price. My “friend” made another deal without my knowledge and also lied about doing more work, so he got paid more. He got $614 and they gave me 2 checks in total for $400. I paid $80 in materials and a $20 charge for my time and gas when Ichecked out the problem that they didn’t pay me. Can I sue in small claims?
Asked on February 29, 2012 under Employment Labor Law, California
Answers:
Hong Shen / Roberts Law Group
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
It is tough. The license issue would make the contract void. However, you did perform the work and the home owner did receive benefit such that you would be paid, not the $1800 asking price but a reasonable price, which is the problem. Your partner consented to the price paid so seems to him this is the reasonable price for the job. It is hard to argue otherwise by you at this point.
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