Any advice welcome debt recovery

9abby

Hi, I'm hoping someone can give me some advice.
We recently moved to a new house end of last year and the boiler PRV was leaking. The entire heating system needs to be updated so I wanted to get some quotes for this anyway. We are completely new to the area so I searched a few Google reviews and called a plumbing and heating company local to where we are. I told them about my initial problem but also that I would like a quote for a new boiler and to replace the emersion heater we have with an unvented cylinder. They said they could come out but wouldn't likely have the part to repair the boiler. I found the boiler manual and ordered the part and called them back to book an appointment for them to fix it and quote me for the new works.

By the time the part had arrived I had researched how to fit the PRV myself and as we didn't have any heating, I just went ahead and did it. I kept the appointment with the plumber though because I was looking forward to getting my quote.

On the day the plumber arrived and I told him I had fitted the PRV but would still like him to  quote for my new works. He came in and had a good look arround and told me it would be OK for them to do but his boss would probably need to come back and confirm everything  this was fine with me so I told him to pop by anytime. Either my or I woukd always be in.

I didn't hear anything from them nor did the boss turn up. After about 2 weeks I git a bill through the door for £45 for the visit. I still hadn't received a quote and no work had been done so I ignored it. I received another letter after a month so. I tried to call them but ended up sitting on for 10 minutes so gave up. I haven't had any further communication regarding my quite but today got a letter through the door saying they were adding £25 to my bill and if I didn't pay they would be passing my details on to a debt collection agency.

My question is, is this legal? Can they just bill me for a service I haven't received and can they legally pass my details on to a debt collection agency? I don't have a contract with them so I haven't broken any terms. 

Any help would be greatly appreciated 

Thanks in advance

cx6

They can do what they like but it means nothing until and unless they get a debt court order (ccj) prior to which you will be able to put your side of the story to the judge.

Alderbank

9abby said:

I called them back to book an appointment for them to fix it and quote me for the new works. 
I kept the appointment with the plumber though...
On the day the plumber arrived...

It looks like a minimum call out fee.
You asked them to send a plumber so you do owe it and should pay it. It's not exorbitant. I agree their book-keeping system doesn't seem very good and they have probably lost the opportunity for a sale.

Aylesbury_Duck

You booked a job and a quote, did the job yourself, didn't cancel the job so they sent someone out.  Sounds like you owe them.

9abby

cx6 said:

They can do what they like but it means nothing until and unless they get a debt court order (ccj) prior to which you will be able to put your side of the story to the judge.

Thanks cx6 hoping it doesn't get that far 😄

9abby

Alderbank said:

9abby said:

I called them back to book an appointment for them to fix it and quote me for the new works. 
I kept the appointment with the plumber though...
On the day the plumber arrived...

It looks like a minimum call out fee.
You asked them to send a plumber so you do owe it and should pay it. It's not exorbitant. I agree their book-keeping system doesn't seem very good and they have probably lost the opportunity for a sale.

Thanks for commenting Alderbank. I'm fighting the same rationale. I did book a call out but I also booked a survey. They did the survey but didn't do the work. On the one hand, they haven't lost any time and had the opportunity to quote for a pretty substantial bit of work. If I'd received my quite I would mind paying the bill but I don't have a quite and they didn't do any work so I'm minded not to pay it. 

9abby

Aylesbury_Duck said:

You booked a job and a quote, did the job yourself, didn't cancel the job so they sent someone out.  Sounds like you owe them.

Thanks Aylebury_duck like I said, I wouldn't mind paying if I had received the quote but I haven't received anything since they came. They had an appointment to do some work and do a quote. They haven't lost any time so I'm struggling to see why in the absence of a quote, I should pay them. 

visidigi

The charge isn't for the quote though, so the fact you didn't get that isn't relevant. The charge is for visiting to fit a part you decided to fit yourself without informing them in advance. So realistically they were going to make money from the fitment, if you had called them in advance to adjust the visit type you would have some argument. As it stands they turned up and attended and that has a cost.

Aylesbury_Duck

9abby said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

You booked a job and a quote, did the job yourself, didn't cancel the job so they sent someone out.  Sounds like you owe them.

Thanks Aylebury_duck like I said, I wouldn't mind paying if I had received the quote but I haven't received anything since they came. They had an appointment to do some work and do a quote. They haven't lost any time so I'm struggling to see why in the absence of a quote, I should pay them. 

I think the two things are separate, albeit would have been carried out by the same person at the same visit.  You booked a job, and asked them to quote whilst there.  They attended the job to find out you no longer wanted them to do the job, so I suspect they're charging you a call out fee.  The quote is a separate matter because ordinarily it would be a free service.  You can't withhold payment for a call out on the basis that they haven't sent you a quote that would have been free in the first place.

I concede they haven't covered themselves in glory here, but you also bear some responsibility for not advising them that the work you booked them to do was no longer needed.  They turned up in expectation of revenue and instead find they're there to do a free quote instead.  They might have scheduled a quote on a different day or by a different person, enabling them to earn revenue elsewhere.

Just my take on it, seeing it from the side of a (small?) business.

The_Fat_Controller

Doesn't any work on a boiler require the person doing it to be Gas Safe registered ?

9abby

The_Fat_Controller said:

Doesn't any work on a boiler require the person doing it to be Gas Safe registered ?

Not sure what that has to do with my question but I'll answer you anyway. No, working on a non-gas component in a boiler is perfectly acceptable provided you are a competent tradesperson such as a plumber or electrician* (which I am)