Plumber overcharged

Peeweeontour

wealdroam wrote: »

Even if you weren't the plumber's customer?

Who engaged the plumber?
Who paid the plumber?

We were told earlier "He provided a receipt which just shows the amount paid and amount of vat paid", which is all he had to do.

I engaged the plumber the second time around. Yes the tennants engaged him the first call out which was an emergency but the second time I called him and I have a text confirming that he will provide a report as part of the work. This has not been provided. Yes my fears re vat may be unfounded but I cannot claim this back from the insurers unless he provides them with a vat number. The fact that 3 weeks on he has not provided me with any sort of invoice or report and that all his addresses provided on the various websites linked to his business are fake is leading me to believe this is very suspicious! do you not agree?

Peeweeontour

wealdroam wrote: »

Peeweeontour, you fuss about a VAT invoice/receipt is unfounded.

As stated, your tenant paid the plumber, and as your tenant is not VAT registered, the plumber is not obliged to provide a VAT invoice/receipt - or indeed any receipt.

If you want a receipt, then ask you tenant to write one. That of course will not be a VAT invoice/receipt if you tenant isn't VAT registered.

The plumber is obliged to provide me with a report for the insurers. As confirmed by Citizens Advice.

naedanger

wealdroam wrote: »

Even if you weren't the plumber's customer?

Who engaged the plumber?
Who paid the plumber?

We were told earlier "He provided a receipt which just shows the amount paid and amount of vat paid", which is all he had to do.

Yes, it would make me suspicious.

I know he does not need to give a receipt but what is his reason for not giving one? Perhaps he is just being awkward or is too busy. But another possibility is he does not want details of the job getting back to HMRC.

If his problem is he only wants to give it to the person who paid him then fair enough. The op can presumably get their tenant to ask for it .

naedanger

Peeweeontour wrote: »

I engaged the plumber the second time around. Yes the tennants engaged him the first call out which was an emergency but the second time I called him and I have a text confirming that he will provide a report as part of the work. This has not been provided. Yes my fears re vat may be unfounded but I cannot claim this back from the insurers unless he provides them with a vat number. The fact that 3 weeks on he has not provided me with any sort of invoice or report and that all his addresses provided on the various websites linked to his business are fake is leading me to believe this is very suspicious! do you not agree?

It is probably a long shot but it may be worth getting your tenant to ask iZettle whether a chargeback can be made in the circumstances.

The terms and conditions applicable to those accepting payments (so the plumber in your case) does mention chargebacks. That said I have not read any of the detail.

https://www.izettle.com/gb/terms

Peeweeontour

So after a strongly worded phone call from my husband I have finally received an invoice. With no breakdown of vat and an invalid vat number but is enough at least for me to claim some of my costs from the insurers.

Just for information if anyone is interested as well i phoned citizens advice again as I couldn't find an address for the plumber. All of the directories he was listed on gave various addresses with incorrect postcodes. Citizens advice advised that by law he would need to provide my tennants (as consumers) his address for the job that they engaged him for. As I am a landlady and not a direct consumer it's slightly different but in that case he does legally need to provide me with a vat invoice with his vat number for the job I engaged him for.

If either of these were not done he can be reported to trading standards. Although not sure what if any good that would do!

dj1471

https://www.gov.uk/report-an-unregistered-trader-or-business

unholyangel

Peeweeontour wrote: »

So after a strongly worded phone call from my husband I have finally received an invoice. With no breakdown of vat and an invalid vat number but is enough at least for me to claim some of my costs from the insurers.

Just for information if anyone is interested as well i phoned citizens advice again as I couldn't find an address for the plumber. All of the directories he was listed on gave various addresses with incorrect postcodes. Citizens advice advised that by law he would need to provide my tennants (as consumers) his address for the job that they engaged him for. As I am a landlady and not a direct consumer it's slightly different but in that case he does legally need to provide me with a vat invoice with his vat number for the job I engaged him for.

If either of these were not done he can be reported to trading standards. Although not sure what if any good that would do!

If he isn't actually VAT registered (can't think of any other reason why a fake vat number would be given - unless perhaps he just utterly sucks at paperwork) the he shouldn't be charging vat either.

naedanger

dj1471 wrote: »

https://www.gov.uk/report-an-unregistered-trader-or-business

or another v. similar choice:

https://www.gov.uk/report-vat-fraud

The webpage specifically mentions "They might ... use a VAT number that’s false or belongs to someone else".

wealdroam

Peeweeontour wrote: »

As I am a landlady and not a direct consumer it's slightly different but in that case he does legally need to provide me with a vat invoice with his vat number for the job I engaged him for.

Are you vat registered?

Peeweeontour

Oh yes don't worry i am on it