Planning drawings wrong, invoiced anyway - what would you do?

BlondeHeadOn

I think I am being ripped off, but would really like some objective opinions on this please!




I am about to apply for planning permission for a large conservatory, and was recommended to use a local "Building Plans and Design" company (aka one-man-band). He offers a "full service" for domestic planning permission, including the following:

• Carry out measured survey of property.
• Produce 1:100 existing plans & elevations, proposed 1:100 plans & elevations, 1:500/200 site plan.
• Scan Ordinance survey 1:1250 location plan with brief construction notes.

All for £475.00, plus a £50.00 fee is he is to act as a "planning application agent". He has also added to the invoice a charge of £30.00 extra for "Supply of 1:1250 Survey plan".

I have just received his invoice and a set of plans, but there are no
measurements on the actual house (only the conservatory bit), and the internal layout of the house is not correct. He has obviously just taken a standard layout from this kind of house, and stuck a conservatory shape on the back. It must have taken him all of about an hour to copy and paste this plan form some standard generic template.

The invoice also states:

Any subsequent minor revisions further to approval are subject to a £45.00/hr charge

I haven't yet asked him whether that revision charge includes just getting the plans right in the first instance!

I've not been impressed generally with this man or his work, as has not proved to be reliable when arranging meetings. Also he took 3 weeks to send us any plans, and then when he did they are wrong - and then he kept phoning every day to hassle us about them until I told him to leave us alone and I would reply when I have had time to look at them (to put this into context, I only received the plans and invoice a week ago, and my husband has been receiving cancer treatment so I did not have time nor inclination to look at the plans immediately they arrived).

I have actually decided that I don't want him to act as my agent anyway - I don't like him nor trust him, and I would rather do the planning application myself.

But what do I do about these plans and his invoice?

(PS I am not usually so wimp-ish about things, but I am not sure if my emotional state at the moment is clouding my judgement - hence why I am asking you guys).

iamcornholio

The existing internal house arrangement is not that relevant to planning, so does not need to be accurate, but you are correct in that he has charged for a full measured survey and may have just used a standard house floor plan

If the drawings are wrong you can either ask him to re-do them before paying, or offer an amount that you think is reasonable and then negotiate. Or pay nothing and don't use the drawings

With regards charging for alterations, then this is OK if you change you mind and want changes to the design, but is not chargeable if you require the drawings corrected or done properly

It does seem that the 1:1250 plan was included in his original quote, and you should not pay extra for this

You can just cross his name out as the agent, or if submitted send the planners a letter or email saying that he is no longer the agent and forward correspondence directly to you

BlondeHeadOn

iamcornholio wrote: »

The existing internal house arrangement is not that relevant to planning, so does not need to be accurate, but you are correct in that he has charged for a full measured survey and may have just used a standard house floor plan

If the drawings are wrong you can either ask him to re-do them before paying, or offer an amount that you think is reasonable and then negotiate. Or pay nothing and don't use the drawings

With regards charging for alterations, then this is OK if you change you mind and want changes to the design, but is not chargeable if you require the drawings corrected or done properly

It does seem that the 1:1250 plan was included in his original quote, and you should not pay extra for this

You can just cross his name out as the agent, or if submitted send the planners a letter or email saying that he is no longer the agent and forward correspondence directly to you

Thanks for this reply, that reassures me that I am thinking along the right lines. The submission has not been made yet, so I wil just proceed myself. I will approach him about the invoice.

This was a very clear reply - thank you very much, it's extremely helpful.