I worked out a trade deal for someone to do some soldering for me. I had three devices that needed soldering, and they could keep one for themselves if they soldered the three of them for me. Today I discovered that they didn’t even attempt the soldering, they fucked up all three of the devices, such that the soldering job can no longer be done by anyone, and they want me to compensate them for the time they wasted trying to fix them without soldering. I asked them to do the job, in trade for keeping one, because I am ill and my hands won’t do fine work any more. I definitely don’t want to pay them for not doing the job I asked, which I asked them to do because I couldn’t afford to pay someone to do it. The job is still not done and can never be done now. Am I wrong to be angry with them? Do I have to be grateful and compensate them for their time that they wasted not doing what I asked them to do?
Technically OP and the guy doing the job did enter into contract with each other, just a verbal one. This type of law is centuries old.
While that is true, the verbal contract stipulated non-monetary compensation on job completion. Job was never completed, so the contract was never fulfilled, and compensation is not owed. This is why repair depots have a minimum charge for technician time laid out in their pricing.
He agreed to give him one of the items…
If he fucked up all three and now wants paid, give him on of the now nonrepairable ones and call it a day
they could keep one for themselves if they soldered the three of them for me.
According to this post, the payment was arranged to be if the soldering job was done. The post then goes on to say that not only did he not solder the parts, he damaged them so they cannot be soldered by anyone else.
The other person did not fulfill his part of the agreement, so he has no right to the compensation.
If he fucked them up so bad no one can fix them…
What’s the difference if OP gives him one?
