Quotations?

[Deleted User]

My disabled daughter moved into a house and discovered there was poor TV reception. She contacted a local aerial engineer and asked for a quotation for someone to check her aerial. She was told that someone would call round to see what the problem was before giving her a quote. Two men turned up and said they would look at the situation. After a while, they came to the door and said they had fixed the problem by moving the aerial. She told them she had asked for a quotation before deciding if she could afford it. Asking them the cost, they said she would get an invoice for the work they had done.

Several weeks later, she has now received an invoice for £80. Whilst she is satisfied that the work was carried out properly, she cannot afford the £80 immediately but would try to pay by instalments.

What is her legal position? It seems wrong that someone should carry out work when they have only been asked for a quotation for her to consider.

Bantex_2

Call the company and explain the situation. See what they say.

Crabman

I'd have thanked them for doing the work for free.

When you say the aerial was moved, do you mean it was simply swivelled in its existing bracket, or it was physically moved from one location and installed in a new location?

If the former, £80 sounds like far too much.

[Deleted User]

I believe it was actually moved.

She can hardly thank them for doing it free - she has been sent an invoice!

I would be interested in her position as she had not asked for the work to be carried out.

Crabman

Abrielle wrote: »

I believe it was actually moved.

She can hardly thank them for doing it free - she has been sent an invoice!

I would be interested in her position as she had not asked for the work to be carried out.

If she didn't ask for the work to be carried out, they can't charge her. Otherwise you'd have tradesmen doing random jobs on people's houses without prior permission and invoicing them afterwards.

She should ask them for evidence that your daughter agreed to the work.

Chances are they thought they could get away with doing the job and then invoicing her.

bod1467

Even though he's landed on the wrong board his advice above is still correct.

We don't often see you venture over here, Mr. C.

[Deleted User]

I passed on Crabman's advice to my daughter and she duly contacted the company. She has now had a reply and sent me the following:

"Just received a voicemail from aerial man - he wants me to call to arrange for them to come out and move my aerial back to where it was and remove the cable they used/installed!"

As she is tied in to her TV supplier for 18 months, she obviously does not want this. Can anyone please tell me how I can advise her. As I said, she's a disabled single mum and can do without the hassle!

JJ_Egan

Just refuse to allow access and if they attempt to gain unlawful access phone the police .

maninthestreet

Lend her the money so she can pay them, and then she can re-pay you over the next few months? Assuming the work done has rectified the problem, £80 does not seem an unreasonable amount. How much was she prepared to pay to get the fault fixed??

[Deleted User]

maninthestreet wrote: »

Lend her the money so she can pay them, and then she can re-pay you over the next few months? Assuming the work done has rectified the problem, £80 does not seem an unreasonable amount. How much was she prepared to pay to get the fault fixed??

Surely, this is not the point! She only asked for a quotation, not for the work to be done!

wiogs

Abrielle wrote: »

I passed on Crabman's advice to my daughter and she duly contacted the company. She has now had a reply and sent me the following:

"Just received a voicemail from aerial man - he wants me to call to arrange for them to come out and move my aerial back to where it was and remove the cable they used/installed!"

As she is tied in to her TV supplier for 18 months, she obviously does not want this. Can anyone please tell me how I can advise her. As I said, she's a disabled single mum and can do without the hassle!

Who is her TV supplier?