Work done on house without my permission

EssexExile

With most companies if you ask them to come out to fix a fault under guarantee and the fault isn't covered by the guarantee then they will charge. Big organised companies will have a script that they read out to every customer to make this clear, local companies may not be as organised.

You won't get many people to come out for £75, let alone solve the problem too.

IAMIAM

Jesus Christ, ring someone to look at your guttering (its 100% always blocked guttering or seal problem), so they come out and sort it for £75 quid and you moan about it. Instead, get some ladders and look yourself next time. God help you if people started doing call out charges in the majority of cases.

Catslovelycats

I did look. As I stated, the moss was down inside the vertical piping. It wasn't visible without taking it apart. Thanks for your aggressive tone - it really helps.

comeandgo

So you wanted the company to come out at their expense, tell you what was wrong then you’d get neighbour to sort it.  If you are strapped for cash you could ask to pay over two months, most companies would allow this I think.

Catslovelycats

Not quite. I didn't know if it was a fault, in which case it comes under warranty.

MalMonroe

I definitely would not pay. 

You asked for a quote. And a quote was not forthcoming.

Where is the agreement you signed with this company? Is this how they generally conduct a business? If so, it's pretty shabby!

You did not ask for the work to be done but they did it anyway, at a price they arbitrarily decided to charge, but which you did not agree to.

Any normal business person would have made an appointment with you for a time to come and have a look at the work that needed doing.

Next step (given that a lot of people are still shielding because of covid) would have been for them to come at the appointed time, let you know they were there and would be inspecting the gutter.

Next step, they quote you a price - verbally or in writing but preferably in writing, even if just handwriting.

Then, you have the option to say yes or no. 

If you say yes, they do the work and send you an invoice like any normal business and then you pay it. 

Anyone who runs a business (I have my own small business) knows these rudimentary facts. 

First rule of business - get everything in writing and then there is no argument. That guttering company did not do anything like that. Sound like a bunch of cowboys to me and I really can't believe that people here are saying pay them and that it's a reasonable price! Don't - and it isn't!

You could try contacting Citizens Advice in the first instance. They have information for situations similar to yours - but if you speak to someone there, they could advise further. 

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/changed-your-mind/if-you-were-misled-or-pressured-into-buying-something-you-didnt-want/

Their contact details : https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-us/contact-us/

In the meantime, I'd send this company an email asking them to forward a copy of the agreement you signed asking them to carry out this work and agreeing to pay £75 for it. (Yes, there isn't one - and then they will know that you are not going to be bullied any more.)

This is an example of bullying in the extreme, please don't let them get away with it. 

Catslovelycats

They said the charge is for labour. Correct. Clearing the moss is not covered by the guarantee - understandably. But as I couldn't see the moss (it was inside the pipe as I've said) I called them out.

Sandtree

Catslovelycats said:

Not quite. I didn't know if it was a fault, in which case it comes under warranty.

But this is how warranties work normally work... call them out and its a fault then they fix it under warranty... call them out and its not a fault and you pay the call out charge... for our freezer its £90 call out and I know as they were out 4 times to look at it and its part of the appointment booking script, you know the bit you always glaze over whilst listening to the robotic voice reading the set statement.

That said, they clearly should have told you up front that if they come out and its not faulty there is a fee to pay... with £90 for our freezer it'd only get you a diagnosis, at least the £75 fixed the problem.

Have you checked the terms of the warranty about call out charges for non-faults? Are you certain they didnt mention anything about a call out fee when booking?

IAMIAM

Easiest solution, they will return and block it all again and leave

neilmcl

MalMonroe said:

I definitely would not pay. 

You asked for a quote. And a quote was not forthcoming.

Did he? I don't see anywhere in his post that says he specifically asked for a quote. He did say he wanted the guttering looked at, which they did and sorted it for him, as anyone would expect them to do if they asked such.