Plumber overcharge left asked for a breakdown of quote to fix

spursnuk

We have had a plumber visit to fix a leaking toilet. He’s dismantled my toilet for 39 mins.Advised cistern washer , flexi pipe and pan connector needed to be changed. £80 call out fee . The office have then rang me to say it will be 340 to fix which I reluctantly agreed to as I was distracted with kids etc in house. Immediately I have second guessed myself and google the parts .

As the plumber returned with parts I have queried the price before work began and asked for a breakdown of costs etc.parts are no more than 8-10 pounds each. After asking for a breakdown the office has rang and told me that they need to leave the premises as I’m being aggressive which I wasn’t. They have left  and said no work will be carried out . Where do I stand in regards being liable for any costs? Not sure why they decided to do a runner as soon as I asked a breakdown of exact costs,

guessing I would still be liable for the call out charge even though they have bolted and left me with a dismantled toilet 

HillStreetBlues

Have you still got the dismantled parts? If so when you get next plumber ask if they needed replacing.
If new plumber says no, then I wouldn't be paying a call out charge.

Abbafan1972

no I wouldn’t be paying the call out charge. That’s bad then leaving you with a toilet in bits, especially if that’s the only toilet in the house! 

spursnuk

So they took the old pan connector away and the Cistern coupling donut but left the flexi pipe attached. I have cleaned the dust / cobwebs off the pipe and it doesn’t look damaged. Also the plastic wing nuts are missing to reattach the cistern. Just left me the screws for the cistern and base.

Aylesbury_Duck

It seems odd that they'd abandon a job just like that and risk having no income at all for it.  Especially since some of the work has been done and the plumber went out and bought parts.  The plumber has surely taken exception to something you've said or the way you've said it?

spursnuk

Possibly but we were not aggressive or abusive so I’m not sure why the office felt the need to remove him from the house. I’ve since received the email with a breakdown of parts and labour in the early hours of this morning and still think some of the parts were unnecessary and overcharged for. We were advised that the plumber had a bodycam on and they have proof but I have checked our ring doorbell and he didn’t have 

We have been advised that our previous calls were recorded too (mobile no..we we don’t agree too and wasn't made clear any recording were being made)

He has dismantled the toilet diagnoses and left for parts so guess that would qualify for a call out charge if they choose to persue it.

Jumblebumble

spursnuk said:

Possibly but we were not aggressive or abusive so I’m not sure why the office felt the need to remove him from the house. I’ve since received the email with a breakdown of parts and labour in the early hours of this morning and still think some of the parts were unnecessary and overcharged for. We were advised that the plumber had a bodycam on and they have proof but I have checked our ring doorbell and he didn’t have 

We have been advised that our previous calls were recorded too (mobile no..we we don’t agree too and wasn't made clear any recording were being made)

He has dismantled the toilet diagnoses and left for parts so guess that would qualify for a call out charge if they choose to persue it.

Just for your information I encounter people all the time who know my job better than I do.
I tend to walk away with displeasure whilst wondering why they didn't do the job themselves if they are so skilled

LightFlare

6 of one and half a dozen of the other.

Always 2 sides to a story and we are only getting  yours

You could have at any stage said “sorry, that’s too much, bill me for your time and the parts and I will get someone else to fit them”

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Jumblebumble said:

Just for your information I encounter people all the time who know my job better than I do.
I tend to walk away with displeasure whilst wondering why they didn't do the job themselves if they are so skilled

Indeed but £340 to fix a leaking toilet (I'm assuming plus the £80 call out) appears excessive in my view, I'd image you could have a plumber buy and fit a brand new standard toilet for less than that. 

There's been a few threads on these high priced plumbing services and it's possible they walked away because the customer was on to their game. 

Lorian

All three started leaking at the same time. That's pretty bad luck.

spursnuk

Pan connecter £7.54, rubber washer £2.58 and cistern bolts which they nicked £3.85 had to put it all back together flushed no leaks. Appreciate call out charges and labour but parts £110+vat for mostly unneeded parts, the quote was too high. Lesson learned, DIY.