Dyno-Rod not honouring online discount

bunny71

I made an online booking for my elderly father to have Dyno-Rod come out and assess a leaking shower. When they came out and told us the (12-yr-old) shower was poorly fitted, my father decided to get a new shower fitted with wall boarding.

Dyno-Rod's showers page clearly says that you save 10% by booking online.

Dyno-Rod gave us a written quote, and told us verbally in person that the 10% discount would come off it if we booked the installation online again. So my father signed the quote to accept and I went online to book again. The same plumber then phoned to confirm the 10% discount had come through for the work.

The shower was installed a week ago, and it wasn't until the work was completed and the plumber phoned his office to confirm payment that we were told by the manager that we would not get the discount. They are claiming the leak assessment and shower installation are two separate jobs, and that the latter did not originate online. The manager also used the excuses "we are a small company", it's "tough economic times" and "you signed accepting the quote".

The manager threatened us with debt recovery if we did not pay the full amount, so my father reluctantly paid the full 4-fig sum by credit card over the phone.

Hours later I logged a complaint with Dyno-Rod via their website but have not heard anything yet.

We want our 10% refund. Where do we stand legally? Is it worth pursuing via the credit card co for misrepresentation under section 75 of the consumer credit act?

Thank you for any help.

CynicalScotsman

"4-fig sum" to fit a shower?

That seems way excessive, did you get other quotes?

bunny71

They had to remove our existing tiles, shower, and shower screen, and then install a new shower, new shower screen, and wall boarding. Plasterboard underneath also had to be replaced, but was not quoted or charged for.

But with all due respect, I'm not here to discuss the cost of the work, but to find out the legal position with regards to the 10% discount - please.

mo786uk

Yes pursue with cc company.

bunny71

Thanks Mo78uk. My only concern is that the cc provider (Lloyds TSB) could side with Dyno-rod by saying that what was paid is what was signed for (totally disregarding the verbal agreement and website wording), and/or charge my father a heavy admin fee if the section 75 claim is unsuccessful.

Anyone have experience of the latter?

somethingcorporate

If they have a signed document with the higher price on then you are pretty much going to lose this without any other evidence.

bunny71

The website advert stating a 10% discount for online bookings (together with our online booking references), was our other evidence, as I said in the OP.

Anyway... good news. Finally got through to Dyno-rod customer relations by phone this morning, where someone took details and said they would phone my local office's manager and someone else phoned me back with the outcome 7 hours later. They apologised and a cheque to the value of 10% of the order has been authorised and will be with my father within 21 days.

Result. :T

P.S. For the benefit of anyone else with a Dyno-rod complaint, their customer relations phone number is 0800 980 6036. They seemed very reluctant to give it out each time I asked for it, so thought I would share here in the hope that it may prevent someone else going through the delay I experienced.