Carpenter won't give me an itemised receipt

ComicGeek · 15 July at 9:01AM

OP, you've paid them right? They gave you a quote, which you accepted, and completed the work, which you are happy with. Pay them, thank them for their good work, and move on....

chrisw · 15 July at 9:41AM

The numbers are pretty meaningless anyway. I was given a complete breakdown when I had a bathroom fitted (Eg) bath £400, toilet £250, mirror £100 from a trade only place but so what? I could find a bath for £200 or £600 so the figures are pointless. I was happy with the overall quality and cost.

outtatune · 15 July at 11:24AM

OP, your local tradespeople don't exist in isolation. They bump into each other at the builder's merchant, at screwfix, they get subcontracted together onto bigger jobs.

And what do you think they chat about? One of the topics will be giving each other the heads up about customers they need to avoid.

Jumblebumble · 28 July at 8:54AM

awkwardpanda said:

I had 6 doors fitted by a husband and wife carpentry company local to me. Communication has been dire throughout due to continued excuses about someone being ill or the kids keeping them busy. I was desperate to get the job done though after struggling to find someone to even give me a quote!

Eventually they did the job and the husband who did the work did a fantastic job so no problem there. However it is his wife that does all the accounts and the one who gives me a life story about what has prevented her from getting back to me (hospital visits, kids etc). I just want answers to questions not a life story, anyway I digress.

Before the work was done I was given a quote and I asked for it to be itemised so I could see exactly what was being spent on what. I never got that and then the work was complete. Afterwards I still wanted the itemised list of parts used priced up for me as I was suspicious they had significantly overcharged on the fixings for the doors.

All I've got were more excuses about illness in the family and the kids keeping them busy (can they even run a business?). They have recently said that they don't usually give itemised receipts, and are gaslighting me saying that none of their trade friends do either. I've had both a plumber and electrician in recently and both have given me a breakdown of costs on a proper headed invoice.

The carpenter wife has simply given me a few numbers typed in an email, no headed invoice/receipt and no list of individual items.

Now she is saying that the accounts are with the accountant, insinuating that she doesn't have the numbers to give me I guess. The wholesaler won't give me the prices either or a copy of the receipt given to the carpenter due to GDPR. So I'm a bit stuck and all I want is a itemised receipt!

For a sense of time; I first contacted them 5 months ago and the job was only done one month ago.

What would you do if in my position and worried you may have been overcharged for items?

OP
Don't forget that if you ask someone else to source goods for you they take on the warranty liability
Why should anyone in their right minds do this for no profit?
Do you realise that skilled tradespeople who have 3 month waiting lists choose their customers?
Do you realise the unpaid overhead to their business that a fruitless debate about markup that I assume you want to do causes?

I am not surprised they are ghosting you

MeteredOut · 28 July at 11:45AM

Jumblebumble said:

awkwardpanda said:

I had 6 doors fitted by a husband and wife carpentry company local to me. Communication has been dire throughout due to continued excuses about someone being ill or the kids keeping them busy. I was desperate to get the job done though after struggling to find someone to even give me a quote!

Eventually they did the job and the husband who did the work did a fantastic job so no problem there. However it is his wife that does all the accounts and the one who gives me a life story about what has prevented her from getting back to me (hospital visits, kids etc). I just want answers to questions not a life story, anyway I digress.

Before the work was done I was given a quote and I asked for it to be itemised so I could see exactly what was being spent on what. I never got that and then the work was complete. Afterwards I still wanted the itemised list of parts used priced up for me as I was suspicious they had significantly overcharged on the fixings for the doors.

All I've got were more excuses about illness in the family and the kids keeping them busy (can they even run a business?). They have recently said that they don't usually give itemised receipts, and are gaslighting me saying that none of their trade friends do either. I've had both a plumber and electrician in recently and both have given me a breakdown of costs on a proper headed invoice.

The carpenter wife has simply given me a few numbers typed in an email, no headed invoice/receipt and no list of individual items.

Now she is saying that the accounts are with the accountant, insinuating that she doesn't have the numbers to give me I guess. The wholesaler won't give me the prices either or a copy of the receipt given to the carpenter due to GDPR. So I'm a bit stuck and all I want is a itemised receipt!

For a sense of time; I first contacted them 5 months ago and the job was only done one month ago.

What would you do if in my position and worried you may have been overcharged for items?

OP
Don't forget that if you ask someone else to source goods for you they take on the warranty liability
Why should anyone in their right minds do this for no profit?
Do you realise that skilled tradespeople who have 3 month waiting lists choose their customers?
Do you realise the unpaid overhead to their business that a fruitless debate about markup that I assume you want to do causes?

I am not surprised they are ghosting you