New boiler incomplete job and charging extra

t45

...I have also posted this in consumer advice as hoping someone can help me with this horrible boiler situation that has been ongoing.....
Where do I stand?....
Almost 6 weeks ago I got a new combi boiler upgraded from an old gravity fed system.
The installer quoted me a price of 4100 for the job.
He said he would prefer to do the whole job in 1 day.
So I booked him. He came out and worked through completing most of the job, attaching radiators etc but did not complete the pipework running up from my kitchen to the loft. HE SAID HE WOULD COME BACK and complete it. It was his asking to do the job in 1 day as opposed to spreading ti over 2 days.
So I said fine and I said I would pay him the total in cash anyway. That I did.
So he left and said he would come back to complete the work.
Now, within 2 weeks of this we had a pipe leak in our bathroom due to what we believe was the pressure from the new boiler. We informed him about this but he failed to contact me. So it got so bad I had to call out a plumber to have it repaired as the water was seeping through the floor boards and has since left water marks on the ceiling.
Then 2 weeks ago our shower box started to leak. I informed him and still no reply. I also asked him when he would complete the job.
He has only replied within the last day and his response is, of course, yes he can complete the pipe work but he will have to charge me 240 plus VAT. I feel really ripped off as he quoted for the entire job and cunningly said he would come back and yet has created a second job for himself.
I don’t know what to do. Can I report this or is he right to charge me extra. The fact is he should have completd it on the day and I agreed that he could come back and complete it but silly me paying him for the job before it was completed fully.
He said HE HAS TO CHARGE ME for labour, waste disposal and work on the pipes.
I cant believe it. What a cheek. What bad practice. So Ive already paid for another plumber to repair the leaking pipe. I still have a leaking shower box and now I am being charged an extra amount for him to complete his work when he should have completed it 6 weeks ago.
Any advice, thank you

Chanes

You have the advice you needed - pay nothing until the job is complete. If he hasn't got the wherewithal to have a trade account and fund the work until it is finished I would find that a concern. But it is no use beating yourself up about it, you have what you have. A quick chat with a solicitor may be a good idea; they could give you guidance on how to proceed if you want to take action in law for some redress.

How many quotes did you get for the work? Did someone recommend this fitter?

southcoastrgi

Well 3 mistakes on your part that I can see

£4100 is way too much for a combi change
You should have got more than one quote
You shouldn't have paid him the whole amount until it was finished

Threaten to take him to court
Tell him you are sending the other plumbers bill for him to pay
Say unless he comes back you will get someone else to finish the job & give him the bill for that as well

elsien

Do you have a written quote stating that the price was for the whole job?

t45

Many thanks for your speedy replies.
I made a big mistake by paying him the day of and the work was not complete. My mistake and i have learnt my lesson.
I need to look at the original breakdown for the quote.
But either way the job has been left incomplete.
Ive had 2 leaks since this (and I'm not blaming this on the installer but one would think he woul dhave checked pressure etc). 1 of the leaks soaked through the floor and I had to call out a plumber as he did not reply.
This is all about completing the work, actually carrying out a full boiler installtion and that included all pipework.
You dont install a boiler and then do what you can and then say I will come back to complete the pipes and then levy an additional charge.
It is frustrating and I dont want to take legal action - i just want the work complete and with no extra costs.
It has taken 6 weeks so far.

t45

i got a number of quotes and his was the best in terms of price! and of course he said he could do it - he is accredited installer.

Chanes

Your quote included removing the old tank system and installing a new boiler and pipework and fitting new radiators? I think 4100 is still a bit high but I guess it is more expensive it different parts of the country.

You've been unlucky and if you aren't going legal then you are going to have to persist. And persist. And hope for the best.

elsien

You need to look at the quote he gave you - if it's for the whole job, even if he guesstimated one day then he shouldn't be charging extra just because he got it wrong and it's taken longer than he expected.

southcoastrgi

Chanes wrote: »

Your quote included removing the old tank system and installing a new boiler and pipework and fitting new radiators? I think 4100 is still a bit high but I guess it is more expensive it different parts of the country.

You've been unlucky and if you aren't going legal then you are going to have to persist. And persist. And hope for the best.

The OP says nothing about new rads & pipes, just changing a open vented heat only to a combi

OP who is he an accredited installer for ?

Chanes

southcoastrgi wrote: »

The OP says nothing about new rads & pipes, just changing a open vented heat only to a combi

Which is why I put a question mark on it.

t45

thank you for your replies - it's very helpful -
the quote included VAT but it was to decommission the whole system and also included piping and radiators (removed and re-attached).
My point of concern is that he left the work incomplete and said he would return to finsih the pipework - that was almost 6 weeks ago.
Installer got back to me recently to say that he can do the pipe work but he would have to charge me! Just dont understand it. It's as though he has created a second job. He knew the pipe work was left incomplete and yet he comes back to me to say he can finish it but he will have to charge me for labour, materials and disposing. Surely the pipework that he left was part of the job. He left it incomplete as I think he just wanted to go home, which is okay, and/or it took longer than he expected but I should not be charged for this. At the offset I suggested that he could do the work over two days but he insisted on doing it in 1. I agreed to this.
Installer is accredited.
My mistake paying him before work was complete. I have learnt my lesson.
Also, he has not completed the benchmark gas boiler checklist nor has he supplied an certification and I am still waiting for my invoice/receipt. Though I can understand not sending mt the receipt if the work is not complete.
I offered him the work based on his quotation and his accreditation and he accepted it.