Terrible Plumbers

hgraystephens

Via Mybuilder, we found a very highly rated plumber. We agreed a daily rate of £240 for 3-4 days work to do some plumbing including installing a boiler, bathroom suite and hanging some radiators

He sends "one of his men over": who cannot drive, looks suspiscious and is hard work. He requires constant supervision all day, and motivation. His work was slow, he used our tools, and we had to correct some things. The tiler is in the same day, to tile around the shower and bath. On the last of 4 days the main plumber has to come over, as the one he has sent is not gas certified to do the work. He turns up late (9.30ish) and leaves early (before 4) each day

I then receive an invoice for 5 days work, at £240 plus VAT. I query this, he insists on £240 +VAT despite me having in a message that he doesnt mention VAT

I then inspect the work and find
1. The shower tray has been installed on an angle so water runs out the front edge rather than down drain
2. bath is wrong height so the panel (which is patterned so cant be cut down) is too low
3. the toilet they said was cracked and leaking because of that was just not isntalled properly
4. They have put compression fittings onto the hep2o piping, which is now leaking
5. Boiler flue not sealed and put in the wrong place (middle of wall rather than edge, so can no longer fit my extractor fan outlet in)
6. Damaged kitchen cupboard and walls with tools, soldering burns and dents.
7. The other saniflow toilet he installed is blocked!

He offers to come back a week later, Saturday (just gone) which I agree, and then he cancels for family reasons, and can only do Monday (when I have to go to work, ie just coming)

What is my legal status? I do not want "one of his men" back in again, but want to get my shower fixed. I'm worried about him breaking the tanking for the shower/ the shower tray but it cant stay.

How much do I pay him? the £240 x 4 as agreed

Can I take him to court/ charge him for damages? He has cost us time and money eg having to get a new tiler in, and done a terrible job!

I've never met such a terrible plumber, we are now left without a bathroom for 5 weeks now.

What can I legally do? What is my best next step!

Jeepers_Creepers

Do you have Legal Protection included in your home insurance? Fab - you are home and dry.

The list of faults you have described are so extensive, fundamental, and serious, that the usual expectation of allowing a tradesperson an opportunity to put things right can - I believe - be avoided in this case. But take legal advice on this.

What do you owe them? Nothing if what they have provided is unusable. And if they have cost you money due to their incompetence, then I understand you can also sue them for this - eg if the tray or toilet is now U/S. And for damage caused to your kitchen.

You need LOTS of photos and descriptions of all this.

Your LP will very likely employ a surveyor to look at the work and write up a report. If this agrees with your description above, sit back and let them sort this for you...

stuart45

Annoys me when I think of all the good tradesmen I've worked with over the years for not great money to see all these muppets making a lot of cash for work an apprentice would get hammered for.

NSG666

If you think his work has any value then pay him what you think is fair and explain why.
A day rate is usually based on 8hr working day excluding travel so it would be pro-rata e.g. 6hrs = £180
Check his VAT status (should have his vat number on the invoice) as there are reports of people who are not vat registered charging vat and pocketing the extra 20% - if he is not then report him to HMRC.
If he threatens small claims court let him take you - it will be up to him to justify his claim.
Don't give him any more chances - you gave him one and he didn't grasp it.
If you can prove he has cost you money then you can take him to small claims court - it's not expensive.

Check his Gas Safe Register credentials (if you go on their site I think it shows a photo of the card holder just to make sure an imposter does not use someone else's credentials) - report him if it's fake. Also for peace of mind I'd get another Gas Safe registered plumber to check the install over.

I think you'll have learnt a lesson re My Builder and the likes which can be corrupted with fake reviews by mates of the advertiser. Always ask people you know for recommendations.

twopenny

Another place you can look for information to get an idea of the size of the business, who is employed and financial status is on the Companies House site. ie number of staff, capital etc.

Easiest to put the business name + companies house into a search engine.

I've used this for small holiday companies and local businesses when I want to be sure who I'm dealing with.