Agreed David. I'll now take over the rant baton and take it a bit further!
The whole current business system is riddled with opportunities for the disreputable to take advantage of the trust extended by honest people. In fact they think that the honest person is a mug and they laugh at us.
I truly believe that all Governments are happy for it to stay this way. Many politicians (current and ex) are in positions of responsibility in Companies and they would hate to be held responsible for any of the business debt. Far better for them to make the business insolvent and allow the debt to be wiped clean with minimal consequences. Obviously the outstanding debts we are talking about are those owed to honest small businesses and not the Government and banks - they are first in-line to hoover up any assets, and then the crooked insolvency practioner takes the rest (he knows that if he keeps the Government and banks sweet then they will allow him to f**k everyone else over)
It may well be that the builder in your case was forced into insolvency due to debts further up the chain and maybe even on a different job that you are involved with. However, at the end of the day, some a**ehole has got way with not paying somebody else and you are suffering because of it.
Bring on the revolution! - this country is broken and it stinks from the odour of rotten politicians and most of those operating in the 'closed' professions, especially solicitors and insolvency practioners. It wouldn't concern me if a Military junta took over this country tomorrow, because maybe then we would get someone who might try to make things a bit fairer for everybody, and I just can't believe it could be any worse than it is now.
p.s. David, from your description your debt is owed to you by the electrical contractor and not the builder. It is the elctrical contractor who should pay you.
