Builders overcharging for radiators

gastroboy

Hi

Not sure if this thread goes here so feel free to move it mods.

We had our flat renovated and told the builders that we wanted some specific radiators and were going to order them ourselves so they can install it. They told us that it's better that they order it cos they can get the small bits as well to make sure it all fits etc.

We got the bill for the radiators which came in at £2400. The price everywhere I have seen (on the internet and shops) is £1400. They are clearly taking the !!!! and when we asked for an invoice, we got a rather dodgy one that had the list of our radiators with the price on it for all of them (no breakdowns per unit or anything you would normally expect to see on an invoice). We called the shop to ask for a quote and they said it would take an hour and they came back with...the exact same number.

Does anyone know what legal avenue we can take? We aren't going to pay that price as we never authorised them to purchase them at far above market price.

Thanks in advance

Prothet_of_Doom

The mistake you made ? Not agreeing to a fixed price in advance.

They went to thier normal supplier, who probably gave them a discount, and it was still more expensive than on line.

Not a lot you can do

Brian8888

Have a look at this: http://www.lawyerlocator.co.uk/lawyer/legal_issues/get_article/id/290/i-have-a-dispute-with-a-builder/

I am not a lawyer but I believe since they did you not to sign off on a specific "offer" or estimated bill the law should be on your side.

gastroboy

Thanks for the quick replies. The point was that they did not contact us to confirm the price or for us to authorise the order.

keystone

gastroboy wrote: »

Hi

Not sure if this thread goes here so feel free to move it mods.

We had our flat renovated and told the builders that we wanted some specific radiators and were going to order them ourselves so they can install it. They told us that it's better that they order it cos they can get the small bits as well to make sure it all fits etc.

We got the bill for the radiators which came in at £2400. The price everywhere I have seen (on the internet and shops) is £1400. They are clearly taking the !!!! and when we asked for an invoice, we got a rather dodgy one that had the list of our radiators with the price on it for all of them (no breakdowns per unit or anything you would normally expect to see on an invoice). We called the shop to ask for a quote and they said it would take an hour and they came back with...the exact same number.

Does anyone know what legal avenue we can take? We aren't going to pay that price as we never authorised them to purchase them at far above market price.

Thanks in advance

Perhaps its the shop ripping the builder off then?

1. You should have agreed a price between the two of you first.
2. You are both at fault.

You don't need a lawyer for this - silly advice - but equally you shouldn't take an intransigent position either and expect to pay only £ 1,400 - it isn't going to happen. As title will remain with him until you have paid for them if you chuck your toys around too much then he would be within his rights to remove the radiators from the property.

You need to negotiate calmly, sensibly and unemotionally to reach a position acceptable to both of you.

Cheers

keystone

gastroboy wrote: »

Thanks for the quick replies. The point was that they did not contact us to confirm the price or for us to authorise the order.

Thats a cop out. You are just as responsible as he is. You authorised him to go ahead and get them without agreeing a price first. If you wanted price confirmation that is a step you should have asked for rather than expecting him to provide it automatically.

Totally slapdash approach to contracting by both of you.

Cheers

gastroboy

@Keystone - totally agree - could have been handled better but still, it needs to be sorted.

There has been some progress and they have said it looks very odd as it cannot possible cost that much. So looks like we can sort it out sensibly without having to resort to anything drastic.

Thanks for the responses.

somethingcorporate

keystone wrote: »

As title will remain with him until you have paid for them if you chuck your toys around too much then he would be within his rights to remove the radiators from the property.

You need to negotiate calmly, sensibly and unemotionally to reach a position acceptable to both of you.

Except he would have no right of access to the property so a little bit of scaremongering there!

Agree on the sensible approach, just negotiate.

keystone

somethingcorporate wrote: »

Except he would have no right of access to the property so a little bit of scaremongering there!

Who said anything about breaking and entering and when does a simple fact become scaremongering? Obviously he would have to be given access.

Agree on the sensible approach, just negotiate.

Indeed.

Cheers

somethingcorporate

Just a point worth making to the OP I think given you said he had rights to remove the radiators without qualifying that he didn't have rights of access to the property. So those rights to the radiators are pretty redundant since the OP can just tell him he is not allowed on their property.

southcoastrgi

not when the builder takes you to court to get his property back, plus he will ask for the cost of re-stocking at the merchants, plus court costs, plus out of pocket expenses, to keep something that doesn't belong to you or you have paid for is called theft