Invoice from plumber - what rights do I have?

pinkshoes

Alderbank said:

Al_Ross said:

The so called plumber doesn't sound like he knows what he's doing.Looks like you called a rip off cowboy.

You will need to find a competent plumber to fix the problem then refuse to pay the first.

Would you have more success with a competent electrician? Not all plumbers are good at fixing electrical problems.

Plumbers might not be at fixing electrical problems, but when you have an ELECTRIC pump that is not working, the first thing you do is check that it has a current running through it to rule out no electricity as the problem.

If the plumber didn't check this before ripping out the pump then they are incompetent!

At this point it would have been fair for the plumber to say "you need an electrician to sort this out" then billed the OP a call out charge plus 20 mins labour to suss the above out.

I would be thus paying the £75 plus the £60 search and trace, then telling him to put the old working pump back in or the new (un-needed) one can stay. 

Tucosalamanca

brendanb581 said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Isn't it possible that the failed heating pump caused the electrical problem?

I would ask for the old pump if you haven't been left it.  If it works, then there was no need for the new one and you should negotiate a commensurate reduction in price.  If it doesn't, then it does suggest that the pump and the electrics had both failed, one possibly the result of the other.

Edited to add:  Of course you can refuse to pay, but a better course of action is discussion as per the above, and negotiation of what is a fair price for what was ultimately needed.  Refusing to pay anything wouldn't be fair, because you had no heating, an visit was made and now you have heating, so a service has been delivered.

Sorry I forgot to add - I still have no heating as he is blaming the electrics... which is why I thought he should have checked them first.

He has also quoted me £250 for a pump which costs £150.

You appear to have found a price for the pump, but how do you know how much he's paying?

brendanb581

Tucosalamanca said:

brendanb581 said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Isn't it possible that the failed heating pump caused the electrical problem?

I would ask for the old pump if you haven't been left it.  If it works, then there was no need for the new one and you should negotiate a commensurate reduction in price.  If it doesn't, then it does suggest that the pump and the electrics had both failed, one possibly the result of the other.

Edited to add:  Of course you can refuse to pay, but a better course of action is discussion as per the above, and negotiation of what is a fair price for what was ultimately needed.  Refusing to pay anything wouldn't be fair, because you had no heating, an visit was made and now you have heating, so a service has been delivered.

Sorry I forgot to add - I still have no heating as he is blaming the electrics... which is why I thought he should have checked them first.

He has also quoted me £250 for a pump which costs £150.

You appear to have found a price for the pump, but how do you know how much he's paying?

Err well he told me where he was getting said pump. Assuming he hasn't paid more than the price they're charging!

Tucosalamanca

brendanb581 said:

Tucosalamanca said:

brendanb581 said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Isn't it possible that the failed heating pump caused the electrical problem?

I would ask for the old pump if you haven't been left it.  If it works, then there was no need for the new one and you should negotiate a commensurate reduction in price.  If it doesn't, then it does suggest that the pump and the electrics had both failed, one possibly the result of the other.

Edited to add:  Of course you can refuse to pay, but a better course of action is discussion as per the above, and negotiation of what is a fair price for what was ultimately needed.  Refusing to pay anything wouldn't be fair, because you had no heating, an visit was made and now you have heating, so a service has been delivered.

Sorry I forgot to add - I still have no heating as he is blaming the electrics... which is why I thought he should have checked them first.

He has also quoted me £250 for a pump which costs £150.

You appear to have found a price for the pump, but how do you know how much he's paying?

Err well he told me where he was getting said pump. Assuming he hasn't paid more than the price they're charging!

So he told you where he was buying it, then added £100. Seems legit!

brendanb581

Tucosalamanca said:

brendanb581 said:

Tucosalamanca said:

brendanb581 said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Isn't it possible that the failed heating pump caused the electrical problem?

I would ask for the old pump if you haven't been left it.  If it works, then there was no need for the new one and you should negotiate a commensurate reduction in price.  If it doesn't, then it does suggest that the pump and the electrics had both failed, one possibly the result of the other.

Edited to add:  Of course you can refuse to pay, but a better course of action is discussion as per the above, and negotiation of what is a fair price for what was ultimately needed.  Refusing to pay anything wouldn't be fair, because you had no heating, an visit was made and now you have heating, so a service has been delivered.

Sorry I forgot to add - I still have no heating as he is blaming the electrics... which is why I thought he should have checked them first.

He has also quoted me £250 for a pump which costs £150.

You appear to have found a price for the pump, but how do you know how much he's paying?

Err well he told me where he was getting said pump. Assuming he hasn't paid more than the price they're charging!

So he told you where he was buying it, then added £100. Seems legit!

Well yes that's exactly what he has done. When he went to go and get it, I asked where he was getting it from. He said Wolseley's. Then when I saw the invoice it was £100 more than what they sell it for. So yes, dodgy.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

brendanb581 said:

Tucosalamanca said:

brendanb581 said:

Tucosalamanca said:

brendanb581 said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Isn't it possible that the failed heating pump caused the electrical problem?

I would ask for the old pump if you haven't been left it.  If it works, then there was no need for the new one and you should negotiate a commensurate reduction in price.  If it doesn't, then it does suggest that the pump and the electrics had both failed, one possibly the result of the other.

Edited to add:  Of course you can refuse to pay, but a better course of action is discussion as per the above, and negotiation of what is a fair price for what was ultimately needed.  Refusing to pay anything wouldn't be fair, because you had no heating, an visit was made and now you have heating, so a service has been delivered.

Sorry I forgot to add - I still have no heating as he is blaming the electrics... which is why I thought he should have checked them first.

He has also quoted me £250 for a pump which costs £150.

You appear to have found a price for the pump, but how do you know how much he's paying?

Err well he told me where he was getting said pump. Assuming he hasn't paid more than the price they're charging!

So he told you where he was buying it, then added £100. Seems legit!

Well yes that's exactly what he has done. When he went to go and get it, I asked where he was getting it from. He said Wolseley's. Then when I saw the invoice it was £100 more than what they sell it for. So yes, dodgy.

It's common for tradespeople to mark up parts and with emergency callouts you do tend to get hammered as they know you're willing to pay due to the situation. 

Services must be carried out with due care and skill, assuming Search & Trace means find the problem your position should be they didn't carry that aspect out with due care and skill and as such any further work carried out that was unnecessary wouldn't be due payment. 

As the problem is still there you'll need someone else to look at it, if they agree replacing the pump was unnecessary getting something in writing if you can would be wise if you aren't going to pay the full bill for the first company. 

sheramber

You would be charged for time and fuel to go and get it.

jon81uk

brendanb581 said:

Tucosalamanca said:

brendanb581 said:

Tucosalamanca said:

brendanb581 said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Isn't it possible that the failed heating pump caused the electrical problem?

I would ask for the old pump if you haven't been left it.  If it works, then there was no need for the new one and you should negotiate a commensurate reduction in price.  If it doesn't, then it does suggest that the pump and the electrics had both failed, one possibly the result of the other.

Edited to add:  Of course you can refuse to pay, but a better course of action is discussion as per the above, and negotiation of what is a fair price for what was ultimately needed.  Refusing to pay anything wouldn't be fair, because you had no heating, an visit was made and now you have heating, so a service has been delivered.

Sorry I forgot to add - I still have no heating as he is blaming the electrics... which is why I thought he should have checked them first.

He has also quoted me £250 for a pump which costs £150.

You appear to have found a price for the pump, but how do you know how much he's paying?

Err well he told me where he was getting said pump. Assuming he hasn't paid more than the price they're charging!

So he told you where he was buying it, then added £100. Seems legit!

Well yes that's exactly what he has done. When he went to go and get it, I asked where he was getting it from. He said Wolseley's. Then when I saw the invoice it was £100 more than what they sell it for. So yes, dodgy.

Nothing dodgy about that.
Tesco don't sell you the beans at the price Heniz charge them either.

Aylesbury_Duck

brendanb581 said:

Tucosalamanca said:

brendanb581 said:

Tucosalamanca said:

brendanb581 said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Isn't it possible that the failed heating pump caused the electrical problem?

I would ask for the old pump if you haven't been left it.  If it works, then there was no need for the new one and you should negotiate a commensurate reduction in price.  If it doesn't, then it does suggest that the pump and the electrics had both failed, one possibly the result of the other.

Edited to add:  Of course you can refuse to pay, but a better course of action is discussion as per the above, and negotiation of what is a fair price for what was ultimately needed.  Refusing to pay anything wouldn't be fair, because you had no heating, an visit was made and now you have heating, so a service has been delivered.

Sorry I forgot to add - I still have no heating as he is blaming the electrics... which is why I thought he should have checked them first.

He has also quoted me £250 for a pump which costs £150.

You appear to have found a price for the pump, but how do you know how much he's paying?

Err well he told me where he was getting said pump. Assuming he hasn't paid more than the price they're charging!

So he told you where he was buying it, then added £100. Seems legit!

Well yes that's exactly what he has done. When he went to go and get it, I asked where he was getting it from. He said Wolseley's. Then when I saw the invoice it was £100 more than what they sell it for. So yes, dodgy.

That's not dodgy.  As others have pointed out, he's simply added a margin to cover his fuel, time and admin costs for obtaining the part.  You were at liberty to buy it yourself, assuming they sell to the public, but there are potentially awkward consequences to buying your own components and asking someone else to fit them if they turn out to be the wrong specification or faulty.

user1977

jon81uk said:

brendanb581 said:

Tucosalamanca said:

brendanb581 said:

Tucosalamanca said:

brendanb581 said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Isn't it possible that the failed heating pump caused the electrical problem?

I would ask for the old pump if you haven't been left it.  If it works, then there was no need for the new one and you should negotiate a commensurate reduction in price.  If it doesn't, then it does suggest that the pump and the electrics had both failed, one possibly the result of the other.

Edited to add:  Of course you can refuse to pay, but a better course of action is discussion as per the above, and negotiation of what is a fair price for what was ultimately needed.  Refusing to pay anything wouldn't be fair, because you had no heating, an visit was made and now you have heating, so a service has been delivered.

Sorry I forgot to add - I still have no heating as he is blaming the electrics... which is why I thought he should have checked them first.

He has also quoted me £250 for a pump which costs £150.

You appear to have found a price for the pump, but how do you know how much he's paying?

Err well he told me where he was getting said pump. Assuming he hasn't paid more than the price they're charging!

So he told you where he was buying it, then added £100. Seems legit!

Well yes that's exactly what he has done. When he went to go and get it, I asked where he was getting it from. He said Wolseley's. Then when I saw the invoice it was £100 more than what they sell it for. So yes, dodgy.

Nothing dodgy about that.
Tesco don't sell you the beans at the price Heniz charge them either.

No, but they don't then also make a further charge on top for their labour in selling you the beans! It's downright dodgy and other trades/professions wouldn't get away with it.