Dear Claudienne,

I live overseas in Brooklyn, New York, but I have a house in Alexandria, St Ann, Jamaica. Over a year ago I was recommended to a land surveyor by my sister-in-law, who also lives in St Ann.

The surveyor was asked to survey and prepare a diagram for my property. He told us the entire process would be in three stages, and that his fee would be $35,000.

He said it would take no more than six months. It was agreed that the payment would be in three parts. He said that after the first payment of $10,000 to start the process, he would come and survey the land. We would then pay another $10,000 after receiving the number for the diagram so that we could track it.

The final payment of $15,000 would be made when we received the diagram and everything was complete. On February 24, 2014 we paid him $20,000 and he came and did the survey.

We haven’t heard anything since then. We have called his office number numerous times from New York but no-one has ever answered the phone.

My sister-in-law visits his office on a weekly basis and also calls on the phone, but all we get from his assistant are excuses. He is never in the office, and I don’t know what else to do. I was reading your column and see where you have helped a lot of people with issues similar to mine.

Your help would be greatly appreciated .

MGB

Dear MGB,

Tell Claudienne brought your plight to the attention of the Land Surveyors’ Association and they asked the Chairman of their Grievance and Complaints Department (GCD) to investigate your complaint.

The GCD chairman spoke to the surveyor, and we note that you have finally received the diagram. Good luck.

Have a problem with a store, utility, a company? Telephone 936-9436 or write to: Tell Claudienne c/o Sunday Finance, Jamaica Observer, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or e-mail: edwardsc@jamaicaobserver. com. Please include a contact phone number.