Should I pay my mate for looking at my knee?

C_Mababejive

brook2jack wrote: »

This is precisely why I am wary of treating friends. I pay for the surgery, materials and staff at work. If I were to treat a friend for free it would end up costing not only my time but also I would be paying for the costs.

When I have used friends for particular jobs I have made sure I ask them to bill me the full public amount. I use their services because I trust they will do an excellent job but appreciate they have a living to earn and it is an insidious form of blackmail to expect freebies from people who have a living to earn.

It is very different from asking a friend to give you a hand moving etc because you can reciprocate likewise.

I totally agree and if you tweaked my molars and i was a friend i wouldnt even think i was on a freebie. I would simply pay and the OP should do the same.

Gizasmum

If he has a receptionist or Admin worker then it's possible he hasn't told them he was treating you under mates rates. I'd give him the benefit of the doubt in that case and ask him to check on the amount invoiced as there may have been breakdown in communication about it. If he does the paperwork himself then I'd pay him, but tell him you thought you were getting a deal and are disappointed that he didn't come clean with you.

Ebenezer_Screwj

You have been treated for a knee injury by a bona fide qualified practitioner in his surgery, why on earth would you try to avoid paying?

Birdgoman

Seriously, no one yet? Oh, okay then.


You haven't got a leg to stand on!

stuartthemgman

Your 'friend' should have made it plain that his offer was based on charging his full fee. His offer to treat you was tantamount to touting for business. I'm not suggesting that he should have treated you for free, but if he was a real friend he should at least have discounted his usual rate.

purpleweasel

same with so so many of these questions - TALK TO EACH OTHER!!! Preferably beforehand

Revengant

And you call him a friend? I wouldn't. You shouldn't have to mention mates rates, he should do it automatically.

I once had a 'friend' who upholstered the seat of a wooden chair for me and charged me top dollar. I'd always felt he was always after 'fleus' (money). I distanced myself and got away from him always asking how much I'd paid for something.....

Perhaps your 'friend' is the same......

philswales

He asked YOU to come in. you didn't make an appointment off your own back. Therefore, he was touting for business.

He should be have been upfront about his fee before he treated you. Being a mate you would expect some sort of discount. If he couldn't do that, he should have let you know at the time.

Sounds like a sneaky, underhand way to drum up some business. Pay him in full but make your feelings known. And never use him again.

happyinflorida

OMG that is really disgusting of your ex friend

I'd send the invoice back with a note stating you are not paying as nothing was said about charging at the time this so called friend offered to see you and you didn't expect a "friend" to charge.

TBagpuss

Of course you should pay. You saw a professional, for his professional services, at his place of business.

if he had offered to look at your knee at the pub, or at home, then I think you might be able to argue that you thought it was a favour.

The fact that he suggested you came to the clinic would, to me, have made it obvious that he was not offering you free, off the record help, and while it would have been better if he had mentioned this when you made the appointment, I think if you are getting a professional service you should *always* assume you will be paying for it, even if the professional concerned if a friend. If they want to offer you a discount, or free advice, they can do so, but it is incredibly entitled and greedy to assume that someone is going to give you free advice.

If he saw you in working time that was a session where he wasn't seeing another client - I do't know what the bill is, but suppose it is £100 - would you expect him to give you £100 cash as a random gift? If not, why would you expect him to give you his time and experience of the same value?

On a practical level, it's quite likely that his professional indemnity insurance only covers him for work done above board, and via his clinic (I know mine would not cover anything I did 'off the books', which is a very good reason not to do anything off the books)

And if he sees you at his clinic, in working hours, and covered by their insurance then unless he is the sole owner he may not have the authority to give cheap or free treatment. In my firm, we have formal policies about who can be given discounts or free advice, and staff do not have authority to offer further discounts.