My work colleague has been doing up a house in Margate. She employed a builder last year to do various stuff, but then needed a new one recently to do some other stuff (details are vague).

Anyway, this new builder has been calling to say that a lot of the work Builder 1 did needs redoing because it hasn't been done properly (floor needs relaying because it was put down on damp floor and has buckled up; bathroom needs redoing because pipes are all fitted wrong; etc.). She has happily agreed to all this while based in London.

This weekend just gone she was meant to meet with Builder 2 to take a look and discuss remaining work. He never showed and when they called he said he was tied up with family – he didn't bother to phone first before they made the journey to Margate. Nice!

I received an email from her this morning panicking because she has discovered Builder 2 has three brothers in jail, one for gun-related crimes, and he himself has ripped off someone else to the tune of £60k with the same excuses that this needs doing, and that needs doing. She has also learned that her husband has already handed over £3.5k via BT to this Builder 2 without discussing it first. She's tried to contact the builder but he's now not answering the phone or texts.

Is this a right off, and she should walk away and forget it ever happened? Or is there recourse? Will the police be interested? How long is a reasonable time to expect the builder to respond and finish whatever work he thinks the £3.5k is paying for? Is it worth even asking him to do the work? She's clearly worried about him being a wrong 'un and getting into confrontation with him.

He also still has the keys to the house although there is nothing in it.

Give it until the end of the week to see where the land lies, or take action now?