Do I pay the plumber?

I have a broken bathroom shower mixer tap after moving into a new flat so I called a plumber. On the phone, I told them that the water pressure is low so the tap probably needs changing.

The lady said that is fine as their plumbers will come to see it and if a new tap is needed they will have it in their van or they will source one locally to ensure it is fixed on the day. I asked how much would I be charged whilst the plumber goes out to get a tap and she said an hour. I was like fine ok.

The next day the plumber arrived, I had my sister go over as I was at work and she only lives 5 minutes away. The plumber just told my sister it needed replacing but he didn't have one and he also doesn't go about sourcing one.

Next thing I know I get billed £90 for this visit and no work was done. They also sent me a quote for doing it. I argued the above and they still said I need to pay it (this was over email).

So I rang up and they said tbh if you ask us to go ahead with the job then it would be no different to us going out to source it. Hence this £90 won't mean I am out of pocket. But they did say they will investigate and speak to the plumber on Monday to find out why he didn't go out to source a tap there and then.

However, I think they will go ahead and charge me now as they took my credit card details when I made the initial booking. I have so far frozen my card via online banking. But I don't want to have to do this as I want them to come to a mutual agreement with me that they are at fault for promising me A and giving me nothing.

What should I do? It is reasonable for me to continue arguing my case or just pay them £90?

Thanks

PostRe: Do I pay the plumber? by **Tafdolphin** » Sat Aug 10, 2019 4:31 pm

Does that £90 include him eventually fixing it? Did it include parts? Or was it for that single visit where he did nothing and nothing more?

If it's the first two it's reasonable. If it's the latter you're being scammed.

PostRe: Do I pay the plumber? by **darksideby182** » Sat Aug 10, 2019 4:45 pm

Probably a £90 call out charge.

PostRe: Do I pay the plumber? by KK » Sat Aug 10, 2019 4:51 pm

While it's about 30 quid over what it normally is in my experience, the £90 would just be for calling them out.

'I've got to go out and get parts' while on the clock is the oldest trick in the book though.

If you're certain a tap needs replacing, my advice would be to always buy it yourself.

Yeah the £90 is for that 20min visit where they told me my tap is broken and needs replacing. Something I already knew and had told them when I booked it.

PostRe: Do I pay the plumber? by **Dual** » Sat Aug 10, 2019 5:04 pm

I'll come and change your tap for £90.

PostRe: Do I pay the plumber? by **Victor Mildew** » Sat Aug 10, 2019 5:08 pm

I'll come and look at any broken stuff you may have. £85 p/hr

Well I'll keep arguing my case and keep my credit card frozen in the time being. Just hoping they'll listen

PostRe: Do I pay the plumber? by **Drumstick** » Sat Aug 10, 2019 5:50 pm

Don't you rent? Landlord should be covering this.

Drumstick wrote:Don't you rent? Landlord should be covering this.

This is my own place now, just moved in last week.

PostRe: Do I pay the plumber? by **Cheeky Devlin** » Sat Aug 10, 2019 5:59 pm

Pft... This isn't on par with the rafting thread at all. Hope it picks up soon.

3/10 would not read again.

PostRe: Do I pay the plumber? by **rinks** » Sat Aug 10, 2019 6:08 pm

He probably heard you don’t like getting wet.

PostRe: Do I pay the plumber? by **RichardUK** » Sat Aug 10, 2019 6:30 pm

They should have made it clear what the call out charge would be and without being rude you should have asked, when I was a landlord I would arrange things like annual boiler services etc and the prices from one plumber to another vary dramatically, I always like to agree a price before

PostRe: Do I pay the plumber? by **Knoyleo** » Sat Aug 10, 2019 6:44 pm

No:1 Final Fantasy Fan wrote:However, I think they will go ahead and charge me now as they took my credit card details when I made the initial booking. I have so far frozen my card via online banking. But I don't want to have to do this as I want them to come to a mutual agreement with me that they are at fault for promising me A and giving me nothing.

That wasn't a red flag for you? Where did you find this plumber?

PostRe: Do I pay the plumber? by **Moggy** » Sat Aug 10, 2019 6:48 pm

“Do I pay the plumber” sounds like code for some depraved act....

The £90 sounds like a call out charge that they’ll want paid whether they did the work or not. I can’t see them giving in too easily, but you may well have a case to fight. Did you sign anything or is there any paperwork?

PostRe: Do I pay the plumber? by **Jenuall** » Sat Aug 10, 2019 6:57 pm

Call out fee, standard stuff.

You'll find that plumbers and the like have a raft of charges that they'll try and pull you under with.

PostRe: Do I pay the plumber? by **Robbo-92** » Sat Aug 10, 2019 6:58 pm

Might just be worth waiting till they speak to the plumber, maybe he wasn’t given the same information as yourself about going out to source a tap and fix it in one go. The £90 is a high call put fee (in my opinion at least) for no work to be carried out though, maybe they quoted you (correctly or incorrectly) on the price it’d be to assess if you need a new tap, then source and fit it and it’s the plumber who’s gone slightly rogue as it’s not a quick 20 minute job, so he might have logged the job as finished when in reality he’s just told you what you already know.

If they take the £90 and don’t source a tap/fit it for you for you why not give it a bash yourself?

PostRe: Do I pay the plumber? by **Lime** » Sat Aug 10, 2019 7:17 pm

Knoyleo wrote:
No:1 Final Fantasy Fan wrote:However, I think they will go ahead and charge me now as they took my credit card details when I made the initial booking. I have so far frozen my card via online banking. But I don't want to have to do this as I want them to come to a mutual agreement with me that they are at fault for promising me A and giving me nothing.

That wasn't a red flag for you? Where did you find this plumber?

This sounds like the amount I'd expect for an emergency 24 hour callout, or at least emergency type situation. I had a situation where the normal plumber I call out could not get to a job, but the boiler was leaking, and eventually I had to call one of these '24 hour plumber helpline' people, and they charged this. They then subcontract out to a local guy on their books.

They did a temp fix, and said they needed a part - had to chase forever, eventually they did replace it (it took 3 more trips) but I still only paid that first amount (probably because we kicked up a fuss).
Even the plumber said it was expensive, and that it would be cheaper to go direct to them.

My normal plumber would have been way cheaper.

Best thing to do is get recommendations from friends and family. Also, get stuff in writing.

Now you own a place, you can start building up a 'team' of the reliable people you can get to do things. It'll save a load of stress in the long term.

PostRe: Do I pay the plumber? by **Pedz** » Sat Aug 10, 2019 7:22 pm

Was the Plumber wearing a Tie?

PostRe: Do I pay the plumber? by **Cheeky Devlin** » Sat Aug 10, 2019 7:24 pm

Pedz wrote:Was the Plumber wearing a Tie?

Do I pay the plumber?

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