invoiced for no work

Obstacles

Hi
the company agreed to complete the following replace a sink and shower. They discovered that they could not turn the water off inside house and had to find the appropriate turnoff point outside in the street. they could not find it and invoiced me for an hour and a halfs work. what are my rights here?

many thanks

[Deleted User]

Obstacles said:

Hi
the company agreed to complete the following replace a sink and shower. They discovered that they could not turn the water off inside house and had to find the appropriate turnoff point outside in the street. they could not find it and invoiced me for an hour and a halfs work. what are my rights here?

many thanks

 You need to pay them if they were at your property for an hour and a half? They turned up as you requested and not  their fault they couldn't complete the job, but did waste time trying 

pbartlett

Depends on what you agreed. If it was a flat rate "we will replace the sink and shower for £x" then you owe them nothing until they have done that.

If in the small print there is waffle about charging if they can't turn off water, or this and that, then you are bound by those terms. 

What contract did you sign?

greyteam1959

They might actually have done you a favour if you think about it.
You need to find out how to turn off the water supply to your property as a matter of some urgency I would have thought.

Silver_Shark

Time is money so you need to pay them.

The_Fat_Controller

@Obstacles, you also need to find out how to turn off your water supply as a matter of urgency !

[Deleted User]

 I discovered I had no stop tap when I had a leak, had to turn it off in the street. Paid a plumber £80 to fit one under the kitchen sink. 

mattyprice4004

It's not their fault you don't have a valve - that's on you. 
Time isn't free, pay them what they're owed. 

mikb

mattyprice4004 said:

It's not their fault you don't have a valve 

... or that the valve you are looking for has been boxed in, panelled over, hidden behind a cupboard, buried in plaster, concreted over outside etc.

+1 on "find those valves" because not only could a water leak cause you a lot of damage, you won't be popular with your neighbours if the street supply has to be turned off because of it.

Obstacles

Thank you for your replyies. I have contacted the water authorities re finding the necessary valves in the street but they are sying that the company had not looked properly as they could see it on line.

anyway onwards and upwards
thanks again

born_again

Obstacles said:

Thank you for your replyies. I have contacted the water authorities re finding the necessary valves in the street but they are sying that the company had not looked properly as they could see it on line.

anyway onwards and upwards
thanks again

Whats betting it has been covered over at some point.