world wide web.firstnational-plc.co.uk Plumbing Dispute.

juakali10

Just to warm people of my experience with this firm.
Their fees are £65 per 30 minutes, so not cheap but I am not complaining about the fee I am complaining about the service!

I booked at 8 to 9am appointment (engineer can arrive anytime during that hour and will call when on his way)

We never received a call but a gentleman turned up at 11.30 and took 10 minutes to look at the boiler and the tenant called me to speak to the guy.

I am from the trade but being abroad meant I had to rely on using a call out company. The engineer told me straight away I needed a new boiler and a couple of grand would fix it. Upon asking him a few probing questions I found out it was the fan that had broken (the boiler is only 8 years old) a squirt of WD40 would have got this up and running at least for a few weeks but I asked do a quote to replace the fan. He quoted me that it was a half day job and with parts and labour and VAT would come to £735. When I nearrly dropped the phone and asked the man to leave my house he back peddled and said he could do it for 600 pounds. I asked him to leave the house and the tenant would pay the 78 pounds for his 30 minutes work (most of which he had spend on the phone to me) He agreed to that but then spent an age packing up, so by the time his van was all packed we were into a few minutes of the second half hour so he invoiced for a full hour 156 pounds ! The tenant foolishly paid it as they engineer was quite demanding.

When I called their office today I was told that I was informed of their hourly rate and what did I expect ? As if this was business as usual ?

It is things like this that give plumbings such a bad name. I was charged 156 pounds to be given false information (that I needed a new boiler) - be very careful out there people be very careful !

paddyrg

It's always sad to hear of tradesmen not behaving with integrity. Thank you for the warning.

It may well be one rogue subcontractor letting the leads service down, so maybe talk to the leads service too, they may want to drop him from their lists

maninthestreet

A plumbing service with a website whose name suggests they are 1) A Bank, and 2) A Public Limited Company ????

donnap83

The web address makes them sound more like a bank??!

anotherbaldrick

Never deal with a company whose web site contact details exclude the business address.

http://www.firstnational-plc.co.uk/

Taken from their web site.


.Vision & Mission Statement.

"In order to realize our "Vision", our "Mission" must be to exceed the expectations of our customers, whom we consider to be partners. We will accomplish this by committing to our shared values and by achieving the highest levels of customer satisfaction."

With extraordinary emphasis on the creation of value our "Mission" is to earn the loyalty of our customers by facilitating customer enthusiasm through the integration of people, technology, and good business.

What a load of Antique Shoe Repairers

juakali10

After phone calls with the company, the "customer service" representative treated me like an idiot for being concerned about the level of service I received but that she would have her manager contact me.
I checked she had the right mobile number for me and of course 30+ hours later - nothing.

I did however, have another (this time a recommended) engineer look at the boiler, he reported there was nothing wrong with the boiler other than a new fan required. He fitted one and repaired the old fan (leaving it as an emergency spare) and reported that the rest of the boiler was in perfect working order and would expect years of service from it.

He did see the ticket left by the previous engineer saying a new boiler AND NEW HOT WATER CYLINDER ! was needed and he couldn't believe it.

I just hope with the power of the internet and good old google to help people find these posts that cowboys like this company get driven out of business. It makes me sick that this company stung me for £156 and did nothing except lie that I need a new boiler verses the reputable guy who fixed everything, serviced the boiler and was on his way for an honest £225.

Anyway, my rant is over and I have learnt a lesson.

Red_Zambo

Sadly I have recently fallen into this company's trap. A plumber from First National came to look at my electric boiler which had broken down. After two visits I was charged for a bill of £800 for labour and parts, but with the boiler still not fixed. Plumber then concluded i would have to replace it, which would cost in excess of £2000.

In shock at the amount i had just spent & then told i need to replace it, i called the manufacturer (as the boiler is new) and got a second opinion from a trusted plumber recommended by a friend (sadly after i had called the original cowboy plumber).

The plumber thankfully fixed the boiler very quickly and without requiring new parts. He expressed his shock that the plumber sent from First National had replaced parts that did not replacing and had also not tightened up some of the bolts which consequently caused the boiler room to flood. He could not believe that I had been charged so much and then concluded I needed a new boiler.

Furious at the level of service from First National I called them where they refused to let me speak to the manager & have since sent a letter and email asking for a refund. I even compromised & said I was willing to pay for some of his labour and parts.

Surprise surprise I have not heard back and I am being forced to take legal action against them.

IF YOU READ THIS AVOID FIRST NATIONAL ASSOCIATES (PLUMBING) AT ALL COSTS!!!

maninthestreet

I'm still amazed that people actually choose these cowboys in the first place. Their prices are eye-watering:

http://www.firstnational-plc.co.uk/general_prices.html.htm