Feel ripped off by plumber

KaratePigeon

There was water dripping through the kitchen lights yesterday after my daughter had a shower. I went to the bathroom above and took off the bath panel to have a look and there was a huge puddle under there. I'd had a shower pump fitted over Christmas (didn't like the plumber, thought he overcharged and left a mess) so I was a bit stressed, assumed it was to do with that and obviously wanted it fixed asap so I contacted him to come and have a look today.

In the meantime I had a more sensible look myself and it seemed to be a loose fitting between the overflow tube and the waste thing under the plug. Glad it was nothing serious but it's a bit inaccessible and I'm a busy single mum so thought I'd just let the guy come and fix it since I'd already booked him. 

Anyway he came and had a look, said it needed a new waste unit (couldn't just replace the pipe apparently as they come as one unit, not worth just taping up the old one as it wouldn't last). Off he went to screwfix (a mile away) and came back with part I didn't see but 5 mins later was all done, and charged me £135. As far as I can tell he's just replaced the pipe (left the old one next to it).

Is there anyway £135 is justified for that? I'm gutted, I feel like I've been ripped off, it's a lot of money for me and I'm annoyed with myself as I wasn't assertive enough to challenge him

The longest part was probably unscrewing the bath panel (which I'd already done), and he said he'd leave if off 'to dry out'. 

KaratePigeon

Oh and he told me to make the bank transfer to a lady, his girlfriend apparently

oldernonethewiser

If you have the old pipe you could post a picture or have a look on the Screwfix site to see what one costs.

Does he charge a call out fee?

KaratePigeon

It's literally a short, thin plastic tube? I've just messaged him to say that was expensive, and he said it wasn't just that, he said he replaced the 'black waste fitting too'. It's a sprug/pop up plug on top of it (which he hasn't changed). I can't see it on screwfix (he probably had a bit of tube in his car), and if it came as one unit why has he just left the tube on the floor, I doubt if he took the waste bit with him! The parts can't be any more than £5/£10 surely? No idea if he has a call out charge, obviously I expect to pay for that but it still seems crazy. 

 
 

DE_612183

Plumbers can charge a call out fee as well - which can be up to £100.

Not sure what you can do really, don't use him again, make sure you get a proper estimate first etc.

Put it down to experience and move on.

Doozergirl

You called an emergency plumber out on a Sunday.   It was never going to be cheap. 

It doesn't surprise me at all, in fact it wouldn't surprise me on a Monday either.  

KaratePigeon

No, I messaged him yesterday and he came out today. So I wouldn't class it as an emergency call out?

I've just looked again and the waste bit definitely hasn't been replaced, the silicon around it is dry and looks like it's been there years, so he is lying. 

Just wondering what an expected charge would be, am I just unrealistic? (I'd expect something like £20 to come out, £5 for the part, it literally took him a couple of minutes to fit. Maybe some PTFE tape to go around it though think that's about 10p!) 

DE_612183

when he came out and "took a look" - did you ask him how much it would cost?

if you didn't you are almost giving him an blank cheque.

Has he itemised the bill / invoice into parts and labour?

comeandgo

KaratePigeon said:

No, I messaged him yesterday and he came out today. So I wouldn't class it as an emergency call out?

I've just looked again and the waste bit definitely hasn't been replaced, the silicon around it is dry and looks like it's been there years, so he is lying. 

Just wondering what an expected charge would be, am I just unrealistic? (I'd expect something like £20 to come out, £5 for the part, it literally took him a couple of minutes to fit. Maybe some PTFE tape to go around it though think that's about 10p!) 

Oh my, £20 call out, never, in my area it’s £100 to get them over the door.

summer_daze009

I would imagine that you were charged a call out charge especially if you messaged him yesterday and he came out today. Did you give him the impression that it was an emergency even if it wasn’t? Most plumbers also charge by the hour for small jobs with a minimum of one hours’s labour. So the charge would have been something along the lines of £60 call out, £60 labour and £15 materials.

Having you bank transfer the money to his girlfriends account is highly suspect and tells you all you need to know about this plumber...

DE_612183

I'd ask him for a VAT receipt - that may get him to perhaps "review" his charge - especially if you have paid into his girlfriends account - thats tax evasion I suspect.