Plumbing Call Out & Diagnosis fee help

magic_chimp

Hi

My combi boiler is on the blink (not heating hot water but working fine on the central heating) so used check-a-trade to arrange for a plumber to come round and have a look at it. It wasn't an emergency call out as I phoned them on a Monday lunchtime and they came round the following Tuesday afternoon.

Their advert advertises free quotes and at no point during the initial phone conversation or at any point during the visit did they mention a call out charge - if they had then I would have phoned somebody else to come out. I have used plumbers in the past and have never been presented with a call out fee for the initial visit to have a look at the problem.

Anyway, they had a look at the boiler and were not sure of what the problem could be. At one point they asked if I had a manual for the boiler which didn't exactly fill me with confidence! In the end they suggested that the circuit board was replaced as a starting point which may or may not be the problem but at least it would be a start.

They then left and phoned me back a couple of days later quoting circa £400 for a new circuit board which wasn't even confirmed as the definitive problem.

At this point I had a plumber recommended to me who came round and diagnosed the problem within 5 minutes (the diverter valve was the problem) and quoted a price of circa £100 all in for the part and £35 p/hour labour. Obviously I have gone with the second plumber as he knew what he was talking about and isn't ripping me off.

Trouble is I have now received a text message from the original plumbers asking for an email address so that they can email me a £60 invoice for call out and diagnosis!

Now I don't mind paying for a good job by any means but them requesting £60 for a call-out fee that has never been mentioned and for a 'diagnosis' that wasn't even correct (more a finger in the air job) sticks in my throat and feels like they are trying to rip me off.

I am not happy to pay this fee and will email him with all of the points that I have explained in this post but wanted some advice as to whether this sounds right - if they have never mentioned a call-out fee and didn't actually diagnose the problem can they charge me?? If I refuse to pay this invoice what is the worst that could happen?

Thanks in advance and any comments/advice gratefully received.

Cheers

gas4you

Dont know this company obviously, but 'free quote' usually means for jobs that are planned to be done at a later date, eg boiler change, radiator replacements etc etc.

When you call someone and say your boiler has broken down, then they will automatically take this as an attendance to carry out work.

I would. I charge £60 + VAT for the initial attendance, but would have given you the correct diagnosis and a price to fix which included the attendance fee.

DVardysShadow

If a price was not agreed up front, then it was a quote for repair. i would not pay him a penny. Particularly with a duff diagnosis.

southcoastrgi

i don't charge a call out fee & only charge for work i have done, in your situation i wouldn't have charged anything if i didn't know what the problem was & didn't fix it then how can i charge you (btw heating & no hot water is nearly (but not always) the diverter valve), if you don't pay he could take you to court but he prob won't as if you tell the judge there was never any meantion of a call out fee, he gave the wrong dianosis & didn't do any repairs then imo the judge would throw it out.

unclebulgaria

I would ask them/him to prove that they notified you of a fee for a call out and diagnosis. Check over any T&C's and see if there is a mention?
Im going to court chasing an unpaid invoice that a landlord owes me and I've found that its extremely hard to prove in a verbal contract who said what!
If its in balck and white that there is a cost incurred you will have to pay (maybe after some bargaining) if its not or its not clear and concise, to the point where Mr Average can understand the terms then, dont pay.
To be honest he sounds like pond life, KeithG is right, if theres heating and no hot water or vice versa a good Heating/plumber guy will know where to go first and its the divertor valve. Tell him he was so far off the mark that he should have brought some straws with him to clutch at!
By the way, he didn't diagnose jack! He wasn't even close so cant claim to have given you any advantage.

magic_chimp

Thanks for all your comments - I didn't think it was right that they are trying to charge me and think they are chancing their arm but always good to get some advice from a wider perspective.

I'm going to email them today so that I have everything down in black and white and dispute their charge request so I'll see what they come back with.

Thanks again.

Avoriaz

Keep it simple. Don't write long winded stuff.

Send them an email along these lines.

Dear Sirs,

I contacted you for a free quote as advertised. No mention of a callout charge was made when I booked the call and nor when your plumber attended.

Your plumber failed to diagnose a very common and well known problem and instead suggested a very expensive and incorrect replacement of a functioning circuit board.

Another company has now attended, quickly and correctly diagnosed and fixed the problem for a quarter of the money you have attempted to persuade me to pay for parts that would not have made the slightest difference.

I have no intention of paying you as you have not provided me with a valid chargeable service.

I will not discuss this matter further with you. Any further contact from you will be ignored. Any court proceedings you may issue will be vigorously defended.

This is written without prejudice to any court action you may take.


Yours etc

That is almost certain to shut them up.

If they do respond ignore them, except in the extremely unlikely event that they issue court proceedings. Then only respond to the court papers.

Don't let them bully or harrass you.

They would be crazy to waste any more of their time and even crazier to waste money going to law.

magic_chimp

Thanks for the wording - I've just sent them an email and the plumber who fixed it is willing to email me to confirm that it was the diverter valve that was the problem and nothing to do with the circuit board if necessary.

Hopefully this will be the last that I hear from them so fingers crossed.
Cheers

southcoastrgi

Avoriaz wrote: »

Keep it simple. Don't write long winded stuff.

Send them an email along these lines.

That is almost certain to shut them up.

If they do respond ignore them, except in the extremely unlikely event that they issue court proceedings. Then only respond to the court papers.

Don't let them bully or harrass you.

They would be crazy to waste any more of their time and even crazier to waste money going to law.

what a brilliant letter i take my hat off to you sir :T:T

Plumpro

Have van, can travel will work for free, is what self employed tradesmen should have sign written on their vans.

mikey72

Plumpro wrote: »

Have van, can travel will work for free, is what self employed tradesmen should have sign written on their vans.

"I'm incompetent" would have done here.