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Plumber trying to rip off my 82 yr old mum !
spiritus
Posts: 697 Forumite
I'd welcome some impartial advice on a situation my mother found herself in before Christmas.
Her 4 yr old boiler developed a leak at the bottom. Nothing major but enough to warrant a call to a plumber to take a look and fix it.
At that stage the heating and hot water were working perfectly and the only thing wrong with the boiler was the leak.
The plumber came out, identified the problem and said it needed a new washer (or "O" ring). He didn't have any so said he needed to buy a box of them as they don't come in singles. In the meantime he applied some sealant over the piping where the leak was coming from and this seemed to do the trick. At some point, quite a lot of water came out from the bottom of the boiler whilst he was working on it flooding the cupboard that housed the boiler. This happened whilst he was working on it and necessitated the need for some of my mother's towels to mop it up. He asked if he could borrow a hairdryer and my mum said she saw him use it on the boiler (??)
The next day he came back with the washer and fitted it but when he then fired up the boiler there was no heat and no hot water.
When my mother asked what had happened he said "I don't know" and told her he would be back the next day.
He actually came back a few days later. In the meantime my mother had to endure a freezing cold house (as this was the week before Christmas).
When he arrived he took another look at the boiler and told my mum that he didn't know what was wrong with it. He then tried in vain to contact the manufacturer of the boiler by phone but had no luck as they were constantly engaged. He even went as far as posting on a DIY forum for some advice from other plumbers.
I was there at this time and could plainly see the guy just didn't know what was wrong with it or even what to do.
I also went on the internet and the only common thread that I could find was that it could be that some water had got onto the circuit board on the fan.
He then rang a supplier in a local town who confirmed they had the fan. He told me the price but told me he didn't know what to do as he was worried that if it wasn't the fan then we wouldn't pay for it (an admission that he knew he caused the problem).
As it was already a few days before Christmas I offered to pay half the cost of the fan if he paid the other. He had also previously told my mother that he wouldn't charge her any labour for the inconvenience she had suffered.
The fan was fitted and the heating and hot water worked again (although the hot water cuts out now intermittently but at least my mum has it).
We were shocked today to receive his bill for £ 332. He has charged us the full price of the fan plus £ 150 labour plus £ 12 for the box of washer (even though he took the flipping box with him).
Am I wrong to think that he's being unreasonable ?
What would you do ?
Her 4 yr old boiler developed a leak at the bottom. Nothing major but enough to warrant a call to a plumber to take a look and fix it.
At that stage the heating and hot water were working perfectly and the only thing wrong with the boiler was the leak.
The plumber came out, identified the problem and said it needed a new washer (or "O" ring). He didn't have any so said he needed to buy a box of them as they don't come in singles. In the meantime he applied some sealant over the piping where the leak was coming from and this seemed to do the trick. At some point, quite a lot of water came out from the bottom of the boiler whilst he was working on it flooding the cupboard that housed the boiler. This happened whilst he was working on it and necessitated the need for some of my mother's towels to mop it up. He asked if he could borrow a hairdryer and my mum said she saw him use it on the boiler (??)
The next day he came back with the washer and fitted it but when he then fired up the boiler there was no heat and no hot water.
When my mother asked what had happened he said "I don't know" and told her he would be back the next day.
He actually came back a few days later. In the meantime my mother had to endure a freezing cold house (as this was the week before Christmas).
When he arrived he took another look at the boiler and told my mum that he didn't know what was wrong with it. He then tried in vain to contact the manufacturer of the boiler by phone but had no luck as they were constantly engaged. He even went as far as posting on a DIY forum for some advice from other plumbers.
I was there at this time and could plainly see the guy just didn't know what was wrong with it or even what to do.
I also went on the internet and the only common thread that I could find was that it could be that some water had got onto the circuit board on the fan.
He then rang a supplier in a local town who confirmed they had the fan. He told me the price but told me he didn't know what to do as he was worried that if it wasn't the fan then we wouldn't pay for it (an admission that he knew he caused the problem).
As it was already a few days before Christmas I offered to pay half the cost of the fan if he paid the other. He had also previously told my mother that he wouldn't charge her any labour for the inconvenience she had suffered.
The fan was fitted and the heating and hot water worked again (although the hot water cuts out now intermittently but at least my mum has it).
We were shocked today to receive his bill for £ 332. He has charged us the full price of the fan plus £ 150 labour plus £ 12 for the box of washer (even though he took the flipping box with him).
Am I wrong to think that he's being unreasonable ?
What would you do ?
No Unapproved or Personal links in signatures please - FT3
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Comments
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The plumber should be prepared to take a hit in these circumstances/...thats if he was honest ..he clearly isn't and is a dead loss ..me thinks
Report him to trading standards .
all the best.markj0 -
What would you do ?
Ask for proof he is qualified to work on gas appliances.0 -
did he agree to your offer to pay half of the fan? was there any mention of labour at this point?0
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Norman_Castle wrote: »Ask for proof he is qualified to work on gas appliances.
He is.
He was the one who installed the boiler in the first place believe it or not !No Unapproved or Personal links in signatures please - FT30 -
did he agree to your offer to pay half of the fan? was there any mention of labour at this point?
He agreed although not with much enthusiasm. His attitude was surly throughout. In fact, he was very sarcastic to my mother on his earlier visit when she expressed her annoyance that she would now be without hot water and heating.
I didn't mention labour as my mother had already told me he had offered to waive the labour costs.
Some friends are telling me not to pay him anything at all as he reneged on the agreement and most of the work and labour was fixing a problem that he created in the first place.
However, I also don't want to renege on my offer of paying half the price of the fan.
Should I perhaps offer to pay for the replacement of the washer ? How much should that typically cost ?No Unapproved or Personal links in signatures please - FT30 -
I would pay him £50.01 + half the fan.Not Again0
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I also don't want to renege on my offer of paying half the price of the fan.
As that is what you agreed to pay then fair enough, but don't pay any more. (And find another gas man.)0 -
1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »I would pay him £50.01 + half the fan.
Correction.
I would pay him £50.01 & let him grovel for half the fan.Not Again0 -
It seems to me that the fan had nothing to do with the leak and it was simply unfortunate that the fan packed up at the same time.Feudal Britain needs land reform. 70% of the land is "owned" by 1 % of the population and at least 50% is unregistered (inherited by landed gentry). Thats why your slave box costs so much..0
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C_Mababejive wrote: »It seems to me that the fan had nothing to do with the leak and it was simply unfortunate that the fan packed up at the same time.
I agree with the first part of that sentence but cannot agree with the second part.
"unfortunate" is not the word I would use. The heating and hot water were working perfectly right up until the second he replaced the O ring.No Unapproved or Personal links in signatures please - FT30
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