Error in garage invoice - chasing me for remainder

Tetley_the_Cat

Think you might find that legally you have to pay as you have the goods. Failing that you are obliged to return and give the article back.

But obviously doing this is difficult so I would take this as an opportunity to go back and get the mistake rectified at cost.

olly300

The fact that they haven't rung you stating clearly you owe them money means ignore them.

If the law was clearly on their side they wouldn't hesitate to do this.

However in future you need to get your car MOTed elsewhere.

Shiggaddi

I have no problems in paying the price I've been quoted online for the tyres (even though it's approx £10 more than agreed) but I would object to paying their higher price for the tyre. The whole basis of me agreeing to the tyres in the first place was because I felt the price they quoted was reasonable.

My next course of action would be to return the call and put to them the online price and ask them if it would be possible to just pay that since I believe it was a genuine mistake. If they insist on any more, then I'd ask if I could escalate the complaint higher in the company. Hopefully a company that cares about customer service would either accept my payment of the difference, or even as a gesture of goodwill, write off the request altogether.

colino

If you agreed to the work at a price, why don't you just be honest and pay the bill?

In addition, why, if you really are a fleeting chancer, did you give them both your phone number and email address?

Shiggaddi

colino wrote: »

If you agreed to the work at a price, why don't you just be honest and pay the bill?

In addition, why, if you really are a fleeting chancer, did you give them both your phone number and email address?

Hang on. Why am I a fleeting chancer. I did agree a price, and I did pay the bill, and I did pay the the bill as agreed on the phone. A fleeting chancer would be someone who knew they were being undercharged and planned to get away with it. As per the previous posts, this is definitely not the case here. If anything I believe I'm being reasonable in proposing to pay the approx £10 to make up the undercharging between what they massively overcharged for one tyre, and the online quote from themselves for two tyres.

I also had to give them my phone number and e-mail address when booking online, and so they could get in touch if there were any problems. If they really needed to chase me without those details, they could do that through getting my address from the DVLA since they would know my car reg.

When I paid for everything, I assumed I had been charged correctly, because I paid what I thought was the going rate for two tyres, and paid what I was quoted on the phone.

Kilty_2

If you agreed the price and paid it, then tell them to foxtrot oscar.

Destination_..._?

This all saga sounds ridiculous to me makes no sense at all . They gave you a price your happy with it and paid it . In return they give you a receipt with details on it the work they have done . How can a simple job for 2 tyres cause such a problem? Did thy do something extra and failed to charge you?
Why don't you contact halfords Autocentre head office and let them resolve this. Uhhhhmmmm !

Joe_Horner

So to try and get this clear:

When you phoned, they quoted you £112.32 to replace 2 tyres and a wiper.

You accepted that quote.

When you went to collect the car, they gave you an invoice showing 2 tyres and a wiper replaced at a cost of £112.32, which matched the quote they'd given you.

You paid the invoice as presented.

If that's what happened then there's really not a lot they can do because the contract was for the work specified at the price agreed. They've done the work, you've paid the price. Contract complete.

Bear in mind that, if the "online" price for the work was only £10 more than they invoiced then they haven't actually lost anything on the job so the chances of them trying to make a very difficult court case out of it (including all the very bad publicity that would involve) is pretty well zero.

Might be worth dropping the head office a (very polite) line, copying the email and explaining that you agreed the work on the price quoted, and have paid that price, so you don't consider you're liable for more.

It's exactly the same situation as something mis-priced in a supermarket. They can refuse to sell at that price when you reach the checkout but, once they've taken your money, the deal is done and they have no comeback.

Bravehearted_2

colino wrote: »

If you agreed to the work at a price, why don't you just be honest and pay the bill?

In addition, why, if you really are a fleeting chancer, did you give them both your phone number and email address?

Bang out of order chap.

The op is the exact opposite of this.

Halfords are the incompetent morons looking for a payout after c0cking up the bill. Screw them.

Shiggaddi

Well, I've just been on the phone, and basically they started off saying I've paid for one tyre, and I must pay in full for the other minus the valves etc or can they have the tyre back!! They then said "Is it fair that you should only pay for one tyre but get two"

I then tried to argue the online price, and I also bought into it the 5% cashback that I would receive from topcashback. They then came down a little and said, "OK, book online the fitting of one tyre online, and that is the tyre paid for" I then said that I had already paid for the extras associated with the tyre once.

They then argued that their garage prices and online prices are different and I've only paid for one tyre. I then argued that during the phone call, they told me how much all the extras would cost, and I agreed to that, and I paid the agreed price when coming in, and then he argued that he only quoted for one tyre (strange how the figure quoted on the phone matches exactly with what I paid, including 2 lots of balancing, valves etc) and he now argues that I've only paid for one tyre.

I then put to him, that had I been quoted the full price, I would have wanted to shop around, or book the tyres online, and he said that it was an MOT fail and would have to be done to pass the MOT. This to me implies, "It's an MOT fail, you're a captive customer, if you want your car back on the road today, pay our prices or else" I then argued, "Well, I would then go online, book my car in for new tyres, pay in advance at online prices, you fit the tyres" He then said that I didn't book my tyres in online, and booked it in through them and only paid for one tyre.

He then agreed that he would see if head office could do anything for me as to reducing the price, and then asked me what would be reasonable, and I said £5 would be reasonable as that is the difference between what I would have paid online for the tyres fully fitted and the 5% cashback, minus what I've already paid for one tyre. He then said, "£5 for one tyre, you're joking" He did agree to looking into the online price and speaking to head office, and they would, "See what they can do and if we can give you anything off the tyre, and I'll get back to you, but it won't be immediately" I said, "OK, I'll wait back to hear from you then"

I'm not sure how I stand legally as they are pointing out that I've had 2 tyres, and only been charged for one. Do they legally have the right to take me to court to recover this amount (I would assume they would have to write to me first, and specify how much they want), or can they legally come to my house to remove the tyre, or legally require me to return the tyre and have the old one fitted. The invoice didn't have E&Eo on it. Also, it's not like I walked in the garage and took an extra tyre. They told me how much it would cost, fitted both tyres, billed me the amount agreed on the phone, I settled the bill in full, and only afterwards they realise their mistake.