Plumbers opinion on bill charge needed please

Lady_K

To try and cut a long story short I have just had my boiler mended, vaillant ecotec plus 824, it needed a new diverter valve they charged me £216.50. The actual work to change the diverter valve took a bit less than an hour and the part was £48 to trade.

This time last year the same firm fitted a new part to my shower which cost £50 and it took 1 hour labour,they charged me £100. The part and labour cost for this job is around same yet its £216.50.

It seems they have charged me for the extra labour and parts involved because they say vaillant sent the wrong parts in the first place which I'm sure they didnt and the fault was really thiers.

The plumber came round the first time on his way home from work it took him about 5 minutes to look in the boiler see where it was leaking and he said it needed new o rings, he asked to take the service book with him so he could order the right parts. 10 days later he came back with another man to fit the o rings and it took 1 hour labour then he came and told me vaillant had sent the wrong o rings and he had to re order the parts. When they left it was leaking much faster so I rang to tell them it couldnt wait another 10 days for parts as it was more urgent now. The boss said the guys had told him they had ordered a new diverter valve as it needed the complete part. It was leaking faster now because the part had been disturbed.

When they came to fit the new diverter valve it took them a bit less than an hour.

I do not know who is supposed to cover that expense whether it was vaillants fault or not. Me because its my boiler? me because they are putting the blame on vaillant? or them because the boiler needed a diverter valve and thats all but they attempted to put o rings on and didn't know the part came as one whole part.

Are they justified in charging me for the incorrect parts and labour they took to attempt to fit it?

They dont give bills that breakdown the cost of labour and parts they just ring tell you the cost and you go and pay it. they just give a recieved with thanks reciept with no heading or signature or what it was for. I will be ringing to ask for a breakdown though. The bill has been paid as a relative went and paid it for me already as I have problems getting out but I still want to challenge the bill I just want to know who is supposed to pay for the wrong parts mistake and labour? if anyone could tell me please?

I don't understand how vaillant could have sent the wrong parts because they do not make o rings for the diverter valve it comes as one complete part so if they had tried to order o rings for it they would have been told they could not send them because of that.

gas4you

The 'o' rings that sit behind the DV are a right PITA to fit and get to stay in the correct position. More often than not they will slip so not seal properly, which could be why the leak got worse.

I would have expected you to be charged a standard call out fee plus the part at retail.

You should not have to pay for Vaillant or the suppliers mistake IMO if indeed there was a mistake.

Vaillant always supply new seals with any parts that are needed, as do most of the German manufacturers, so there shouldn't have been a case of needing new ones.

p4girl

Can I jump on here about bill charging?

Our boiler gave up, engineer from reliable company came, said it was the PCB, replaced it (boiler's a Vokera syntesi 25e) saying the part was about £100 - but the bill's just come in and the part is charged at an eye-watering £355!!

I checked online, can only find it at around £120.

Have registered my complaint with the Director of the firm, but he just gave me a fax from his supplier confirming the £300+ price.

Can this be right? In which case, the engineer who turned up quoting £100 should be SHOT! :mad::mad::mad:

booty40uk

Call his supplier and ask anonomously how much a pcb for a vokera syntesi 25e is and see what happens.

p4girl

Good idea - thank you!

Canucklehead

p4girl wrote: »

Can I jump on here about bill charging?

Our boiler gave up, engineer from reliable company came, said it was the PCB, replaced it (boiler's a Vokera syntesi 25e) saying the part was about £100 - but the bill's just come in and the part is charged at an eye-watering £355!!

I checked online, can only find it at around £120.

Have registered my complaint with the Director of the firm, but he just gave me a fax from his supplier confirming the £300+ price.

Can this be right? In which case, the engineer who turned up quoting £100 should be SHOT! :mad::mad::mad:

Good evening: which PCB has been replaced as your appliance has two. Take a look in your boiler manual or see p. 47 here.... you will huge difference in price when you google the parts numbers. FWIW...most RGIs don't scour the internet for the cheapest prices on parts and other materials as they are out in the field trying to fix people's boilers etc : they rely on suppliers who can provide the 'required' asap.

Canucklehead

p4girl

Thanks, Canucklehead!

Didn't realise there were two. Parts Centre online has PCB are over £300. You've put my mind at rest!

aboard_epsilon

pcb £300 ..thats vaillant crossed off my list .

all the best.markj