Water damage repair bill ... outrageous

csgohan4

Smodlet said:

FreeBear said:

tacticalbanjo said:

Make sure you get a wire, pipe and stud detector for your next DIY project!

A stud/metal detector won't work if the pipes are plastic.

True!  So what would one be advised to do in such a circumstance, Freebear?  Hope for the best?  Can't find my green, grin icon/anything else on here yet!  Unhappy, purple icon.

You hope for the best and have your accidental buildings/ contents insurance to hand

spadoosh

FreeBear said:

tacticalbanjo said:

Make sure you get a wire, pipe and stud detector for your next DIY project!

A stud/metal detector won't work if the pipes are plastic.

FreeBear said:

tacticalbanjo said:

Make sure you get a wire, pipe and stud detector for your next DIY project!

A stud/metal detector won't work if the pipes are plastic.

I think most modern ones would. 
They use capitance to detect the stud. So put out a tiny current and checks the resistance in the circuit. Plasterboard will give a certain reading, the stud will have a different reading and a plastic pip would be highlighted as different to both due to its density, either with water in or empty. 

Just avoid any metal detecting detectors. If it does studs, itll pick up plastic pipe. 

theartfullodger

You are perfectly at liberty to decline to pay - or indeed simply don't reply/respond.   But the landlord is perfectly at liberty to evict you for no reason at all after 2 month's notice (- thanks to Thatcher's 1988 Housing Act..).  And then may lose the £600 through deposit adjudication and/or court action.

vantrappe

AdrianC said:

Jane_Cohen said:

Why did it take 4 visits by the repairman to fix the wall though?

Three would be an absolute bare minimum.
1. Plaster. (wait for it to dry)
2. Paint (wait for it to dry)
3. Second coat paint (wait for it to dry)

Thanks Everyone! I stand corrected.

To my mind putting a copper pipe from the radiator straight up the main wall is just asking for trouble. I've never been in a house where I have had to call in the agent every time I wanted to put up a picture or shelf. (age 66). And yes, a stud finder would have helped but but ... but
I have owned a few houses in my time and wouldn't have imagined this pipe would be there.

Anyway, the repairman was there the 1st time to suss out why there was a leak.
He followed up the wall from where the damage was visible and located the problem... my nail
(I could have used a screw but the shelf was one of those with slots).
So... he had to cut out the plaster and verify this was the problem and my nail was dead-center on the pipe. 

Then the plumber had to come back to cut out the bad section and repair it.
I could have done this with some plumbers-mate quick repair putty but left it for my landlord to deal with. 
Hindsight is 20/20 ... I still think it's outrageous. 
I am going to insist I get the can of paint at least for "supplies" when I move out.

diggingdude

its annoying but a fair price.  Next time at least you will know to expect the unexpected

someone would have been along to advise you better but.......

vantrappe

Let me ask you this: is it right and fair to charge me VAT on the total?
I mean, haven't they paid VAT already in the payment to the plumber - which is reflected in their invoice? in other words - I'm paying twice. Likewise with supplies which is reflected in total in the invoice...
Also, would it be reasonable to ask for receipts of these costs?

davidmcn

vantrappe said:

Let me ask you this: is it right and fair to charge me VAT on the total?
I mean, haven't they paid VAT already in the payment to the plumber - which is reflected in their invoice? in other words - I'm paying twice. Likewise with supplies which is reflected in total in the invoice...
Also, would it be reasonable to ask for receipts of these costs?

No, they shouldn't be charging VAT on top of another party's VAT, you should just be reimbursing the costs incurred (in fact if they're entitled to recover the VAT you could argue you should only be paying the net amount).
No harm in asking for evidence of what the costs were, though if you haven't seen the invoices how do you know they're charging VAT twice?

AdrianC

vantrappe said:

Let me ask you this: is it right and fair to charge me VAT on the total?
I mean, haven't they paid VAT already in the payment to the plumber - which is reflected in their invoice? in other words - I'm paying twice. Likewise with supplies which is reflected in total in the invoice...
Also, would it be reasonable to ask for receipts of these costs?

You're assuming the bill was £65 inc VAT from the plumber.

It was almost certainly £65 + VAT from the plumber.

And while you can ask for receipts, you have no right to insist. And, yes, the agency may well be adding a margin to cover their own time - which would be well within their right.

diggingdude

AdrianC said:

vantrappe said:

Let me ask you this: is it right and fair to charge me VAT on the total?
I mean, haven't they paid VAT already in the payment to the plumber - which is reflected in their invoice? in other words - I'm paying twice. Likewise with supplies which is reflected in total in the invoice...
Also, would it be reasonable to ask for receipts of these costs?

You're assuming the bill was £65 inc VAT from the plumber.

It was almost certainly £65 + VAT from the plumber.

And while you can ask for receipts, you have no right to insist. And, yes, the agency may well be adding a margin to cover their own time - which would be well within their right.

Or almost certainly £65 cash with no receipt    (I miss the beer emoji)

AdrianC

diggingdude said:

AdrianC said:

It was almost certainly £65 + VAT from the plumber.

Or almost certainly £65 cash with no receipt    (I miss the beer emoji)

Perhaps. But whether it was £65 no VAT (invoiced or not), or £65 + vat, even a straight recharge would see VAT having to be charged. Either way, they are paying £65 (because on the £65+vat, they would reclaim the input tax), and have to charge VAT on their invoice.