Paid £1150 for one hour's work

JackTrez

My 70 year old father called a local drain cleaner for a kitchen sink blockage. He suspected tree roots were causing the blockage and they were.

They spent one hour at the house. They used a camera and cut out the roots with their equipment. No pipes were treated or replaced.

£1100+

Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated?

Marktheshark

They cut tree roots ?

Call action fraud, he has been done.

flashg67

Sounds a lot to me.

Had the roots penetrated the pipes? If so, cutting them out means the pipe will leak unless it was replaced or sleeved?

maninthestreet

Report them to Trading Standards.

JackTrez

Thank you for your comments.

Yes they were tree roots and yes they had penetrated the pipes.

But the pipes weren't replaced or lined.

brightontraveller

JackTrez wrote: »

My 70 year old father called a local drain cleaner for a kitchen sink blockage. He suspected tree roots were causing the blockage and they were.

They spent one hour at the house. They used a camera and cut out the roots with their equipment. No pipes were treated or replaced.

£1100+

Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated?

It may well be expensive but the time alone isn’t the greatest indicator if you post exactly what it says on the invoice etc you’d get far more accurate help....

Norman_Castle

JackTrez wrote: »

My 70 year old father called a local drain cleaner for a kitchen sink blockage. He suspected tree roots were causing the blockage and they were.

They spent one hour at the house. They used a camera and cut out the roots with their equipment. No pipes were treated or replaced.

£1100+

Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated?

Did he say "I suspect tree roots are the problem" and they agreed with him?

As above, if roots have entered the pipe enough to block it the pipe would need replacing. Call trading standards.

Cisco001

What has been agreed for £1150?

If the agreement was unblock the blockage, the company doing nothing wrong...

JackTrez

Yes I believe he told them that he thought roots were blocking the pipes - they tried a hose and then used cctv in the drain, saw the roots and removed them

This is the invoice:

1st man labour £95
2nd man labour £95
Plant hire £119
Root cut £520
CCTV survey £125
sub total £954
vat £190
Total £1145.76

JackTrez

There was no quote as such. They gave him a kind running commentary of quotes as they worked. Cctv is so much per half hour, root cutting so much per metre etc. When they were done they gave him a bill.

I'm not sure how he found the company. The number that he apparently called yesterday is now out of service.

Cisco001

Did your dad see and accept the quotation before work start?
Or is it being invoice after job done?

If he accept the price before work start, it is hard to argue, IMO.

If no agreement was made before works start and they bill your dad as it, then the question are

What is the 'root cut' item and 'CCTV survey' item?
What is the £119 plant referring to?
The plant should include the equipment for CCTV & the root cut equipment, why the double charge 'root cut' / 'CCTV survey'?

For the labour cost, even through they may worked for one hour, I think it is reasonable to charge half day. I guess the labour cost should down a bit.