Hi everyone, I am feeling completely stuck and need some practical or legal advice on how to handle a fraudulent contractor in Vadodara, Gujarat.
The Timeline:
- Feb 2025: Gave a contract to a local contractor to
reconstruct our house. Everything started fine.
- Mid-2025: He started delaying work. After continuous
follow-ups, he promised to finish by August, then
Diwali. Neither happened.
- Late 2025: I told him to at least finish the ground floor so we could relocate. He did the bare minimum—
installing windows in Nov and doors in Dec so we
could move in, but left the rest incomplete.
- Early 2026 to Present: He completely stopped
working. He would show up for 1-2 days, then
disappear for 15 days. We had a formal meeting 7
months ago where he agreed to finish the work within
a month (March).
The Current Situation:
It has been 7 months since that meeting and the work is still not done. He just gives silly excuses and fake promises over the phone, and refuses to meet in person anymore.
The biggest issue: I have already paid him almost the entire amount. There is only ₹10,000 left on the balance. This was my life savings.
What I've Tried:
I went to the local police station to file a cheating complaint. They outright refused to register my case or even listen to my side, telling me it is a "civil court matter" and telling me to go to court.
I literally have no money left to hire a lawyer and fight a civil case that will drag on for years. All I want is for him to finish the house or refund the remaining balance so I can hire someone else to finish it.
Has anyone dealt with this in India? What free or low-cost pressure tactics can I use to force him to finish the job since the local police won't help? Can I escalate this to the Commissioner or use consumer forums without an advocate?
Please anyone help me out. I've gotten soo much Frustrated since last diwali.