Latest news with #StephenHelm
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Kitchen fitter sues customer for libel after being branded 'worst I have ever seen' and an 'absolute joke' in online review
A kitchen fitter is suing a customer for libel after they posted a scathing online review branding him the 'worst I have ever seen'. Joiner Benjamin Johnson has resorted to the High Court after Stephen Helm said he was an 'absolute joke' and told others to 'avoid' him. On a website for tradesman reviews, Mr Helm claimed Mr Johnson 'damaged everything' and said he was 'the worst fitter I have ever seen'. Mr Johnson, based in Preston, claims customers cancelled scheduled jobs after seeing the post – costing him £19,000. In early 2022 Mr Johnson's firm, Johnson's Joinery, was hired by Mr Helm to work on his kitchen. That April, the pair argued about the 'standard' of Mr Johnson's fitting, which resulted in him stopping, a preliminary hearing was told. Mr Helm and Mr Johnson then agreed a settlement. The homeowner uploaded a review of Johnson's Joinery the following month to a website allowing users to discuss nearby businesses. The post, left online for 17 months, read: 'The worse [sic] fitter I have ever seen, ruined everything he touched, didn't do a full day. Damaged everything and can't draw a straight line... Lazy, dirty and dangerous health concerns regarding his work... Ben Johnson [and father the plumber] are to be avoided at all costs. 'He refunded our deposit and admitted liability by doing that however wouldn't pay the extras to rectify and remove everything he did and doesn't care about the impact to our home. 'Avoid, avoid, avoid... Absolute joke, embarrassing and when questioned for consumer rights claim said his feelings were hurt as we were questioning his character. Should not be in business so avoid.' Mr Helm is arguing he was sharing the 'truth and honest opinion'. He is also seeking damages for breach of contract. Richard Spearman KC, who dealt with the preliminary hearing, said: 'Looking at the review in the round, it seems to me that it plainly contains some statements of opinion and some statements of fact.' Mr Johnson said: 'I'm sick and tired of customers who think they can do what they want and think they can get away with it. 'I've lost two jobs that came up to about £19,000 because of this. 'I asked him [Mr Helm] to take it down and he said no, I had no choice but to take him to court to take it down.' The case continues.
Times
a day ago
- Business
- Times
Kitchen fitter branded ‘worst ever seen' sues for defamation
A kitchen fitter is claiming nearly £20,000 in damages after a homeowner posted a scathing online review that described his work as the 'worst I have ever seen'. In a move that could have a lasting impact on the building trade, Benjamin Johnson has gone before a High Court judge to bring a defamation claim against his former client. After a judge granted permission for the claim to proceed, Johnson said he was suing because he was 'sick and tired' of customers who 'can do what they want and think they can get away with it'. The dispute centres on comments by Stephen Helm, the disgruntled homeowner, who publicly stated that Johnson was an 'absolute joke' and warned others to 'avoid' using him. On a website for reviews of tradesmen, Helm claimed that Johnson 'damaged everything', adding that he was 'the worst fitter I have ever seen'. Johnson, who is based in Preston, told the court that the review remained online for more than 17 months and that as a result customers cancelled jobs, which left him £19,000 out of pocket. The dispute broke out after Helm hired the fitter in 2022 to carry out work on his kitchen. The preliminary hearing in the High Court was told that the two then rowed about the standard of Johnson's work and he stopped the job. As a result, Helm and Johnson agreed a financial settlement but the next month the homeowner posted a review of Johnson's Joinery onto a website for comments on local businesses. • No mate of mine: the perils of reviewing a handyman Helm's review said: 'The worse [sic] fitter I have ever seen, ruined everything he touched, didn't do a full day. Damaged everything and can't draw a straight line. Cut into the units which didn't need touching. Plasterboarded the walls and we lost 10cm for no reason.' In addition, Helm described the fitter as 'lazy' and claimed that there were 'dangerous health concerns regarding his work as he pushed pipes into the waste pipe for washing machine and dishwasher and sealed with silicone which backed up waste from toilet into the machines'. He advised readers of the review site to 'avoid avoid avoid', saying that Johnson was an 'absolute joke, embarrassing and when questioned for consumer rights claim said his feelings were hurt as we were questioning his character. Should not be in business so avoid'. Johnson launched court proceedings in 2023 and in response to the claim, Helm has argued that he was sharing the 'truth and honest opinion'. If Helm can prove that his criticism of the fitter was true and that he honestly believes his comments were accurate, Johnson's defamation claim will fail. Helm has also launched a counterclaim seeking damages for breach of contract in respect to the works carried out. Judge Spearman ruled that the wording of the review 'plainly contains some statements of opinion and some statements of fact' as he allowed the claim to proceed to a full trial.
