A Ramsbottom joiner has hit back after a customer accused him “stole money” and left the work “horrendous and unfinished".

The customer shared a review on Facebook, claiming the tradesman left his house extension “unfinished with horrendous quality of work, and owes us and many others money.”

In addition to those claims, the customer added the owner of Kirk Joinery Ltd changed his phone number to avoid contact with his clients. 

However, the business owner, Aaron Kirk, has hit back, refuting the claims as "extremely damaging allegations".

He said the claims have had "serious personal and professional consequences" for his business, his family members have been harassed, and has resulted in him losing customers as well as a contract with a big commercial business.

Mr Kirk told the Lancashire Telegraph: "I've had about £22,000 worth of work pulled from me because of this.

"The annoying thing is, I was late to the party so by the time I responded with facts, it was too late. The damage had been done and these wounds don't heal up quick.

"I come from the roughest council estate of the town and I've worked hard with this business so it goes deeper than than just finance. Kirk Joinery is my name so it becomes personal when I'm being accused of stuff like this."

In his response shared on Facebook, Mr Kirk said the customer offered nothing but ‘positive praise’ in person and over email.

Addressing the accusation that money was stolen, Mr Kirk said: “In the terms and conditions of our contract, that was signed by the customer, we take staged payments and only once work has been completed and the customer is happy.

“The customer made all of the staged payments therefore I can only surmise he was happy with the work undertaken.

“He proceeded to contact my friends and family, and frankly anybody who would listen, to tell them that I owed him £4,000 and I had disappeared, which was untrue.

“He admitted and apologised for this once he realised his error but he had already slandered my business to the general public. Evidence can be provided upon request.”

Mr Kirk added the reason his contact number was changed was because his phone was stolen from his van, and also provided the crime reference number to disprove the accusation.

The response was shared on Facebook on Wednesday, October 12, and since then has received an overwhelming amount of support from previous customers and strangers.

One business owner from the area empathised with the joiner over how ‘heart-breaking’ it is that people are willing to unfairly criticise businesses during the cost-of-living crisis.

They commented: “People are so quick to jump to social media slating businesses and people and then others mindlessly jump on the bandwagon without having the facts to hand.

“It’s tiring having to constantly cover your back, but it has to be done for instances such as this, its a sad state of affairs isn't it?!”

Others took to the comments to praise the joiner for his ‘hard work’ and ‘professionalism’ to shop their support of the business.

Mr Kirk added: “I have been painted in his post as a criminal who has stolen customers money and he has defamed my character and painted me to be a criminal and a conman.

"In reality I’m a young, local lad with a young family to support, trying to build a small business at the mercy of unreliable suppliers, unreliable subcontractors and customers who want to tear me down as soon as an issue arises.”

Mr Kirk shared that despite losing customers and a 'mountain of money' right before Christmas, the support from the community is the only good thing to come from the 'slanderous review'. 

He said: "I've had one woman offer to pay me upfront because of this which is so lovely.

"It's been difficult for my whole family going through this, so I'm so grateful and want to thank everyone that's reached out and shown their support."

The customer has been contacted for comment.