Problem: Fire next door caused damage to our house.

Solution: Hire company to fix house.

Should and could have been just that easy, however as the process went along with this guy we grew uneasy and eventually backed out of the eventual bid contract and went another direction. The contract was successfully terminated (and in the contract states there will be no charge for termination within time period) however we just received in the mail (Merry Christmas to us) an invoice for $1200 for his time coming out to our property (6 trips he estimates, which I doubt), and his time spent negotiating with insurance on our behalf. None of this was discussed or contracted as being a charge. 

Only conversation that alluded to paying anything was when I called him to cancel the project I said something along the lines of, "happy to give you something for your time (my thought being like $200 because I'm a softy)." In that call he got pretty nasty and said he would send me an invoice (to which I never agreed to). This conversation was 6 months ago, only just now received this "invoice."

Called him today and in the end I just said I never agreed to pay for these services and will not be paying this invoice. He proceeded to say the next step is collections, to which I said okay, end of call. 

Does he have any kind of standing whatsoever? Feel like if he submits to collections it's just part of his process (or emotions) and has no merit. 

My current plan is if he does go there to send to the collection agency via certified mail a written statement saying I do not owe the money. 

Thoughts and experience on this matter?