Emergency plumber- have I been scammed? And what can I do?

Section62

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82012390#Comment_82012390

From the OP - "as the ceiling was going to come down on its own anyway"

Pipes are often run in the void between the ground floor ceiling and first floor boarding. Getting access from above usually means emptying and moving furniture, then lifting carpets/laminate, before having access to the floor boarding. The boards usually need to be cut to be lifted, and if chipboard (increasingly common) there's a lot to be lifted to gain access, unless a hole saw is used to make inspection points. Meanwhile water is still coming out of the pipe and the ceiling is still close to collapsing.

Alternatively, start removing bits of the collapsing ceiling so you can see what is going on and what needs isolating. It is the quickest way of gaining access and if the ceiling is already damaged then why add unnecessary damage to the flooring above?

Although turning off the main stopcock is a good idea, in questioning the plumber's competence you are assuming that the leaking water is coming from a mains-supplied pipe, rather than the central heating or a pipe coming from a cold water storage tank or hot water cylinder.

As for "scammed" and "criminals" - they gave the OP a price range for doing an emergency job. The OP agreed to this. The work was done (apparently satisfactorily) and the plumber requested payment within the range which had been given. Can you explain what part of that was a 'scam' or 'criminal'?

saajan_12

Charging a high price isn't a scam, they gave you a quote and you agreed to it. Even in an emergency, you could call two people simultaneiously for quotes, asked a neighbour or even paid an emergency plumber to turn off the water to buy you more time. A leak spotted quickly rarely has such catastrophic damage as there's a limited amount of water in the system.

twopenny

First now, get the stop !!!!!! easy to turn on and off.

Mark the cupboard, attach a label telling you which way to turn it off. Always a first when moving house.

I've got labels on the 'taps, in the airing cupboard too. You can't remember by the time it's essential.

In this case he told you the price and you agreed. So did your father who has more experience. It's happened to me when it's been an emergency. You aren't alone in this. But sometimes it's worth getting it done quickly. Occasionally there is taking the persistence but this time he did exactly what you and your dad wanted and when you wanted it and didn't charge the top of the estimate.

TroubledTarts

I don't think you were scammed or conned as the plumber gave you an estimate range and the final bill came within that range.

You were however too hasty to accept as that does appear to be an expensive price for the work performed, even including call out, out of hours charges.

Out of interest was the bill broken down at all?

Section62

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82012928#Comment_82012928

Out of interest was the bill broken down at all?

Reading between the lines it might be unhelpful for the OP to share further details of the bill on a public forum until they have at least had a response from the insurance company after they have reviewed the claim.

ic

Things to consider for future:

• Get the home emergency add on to your home insurance (can also be had as a bolt on to some bank accounts) - this will cover this exact sort of emergency (i.e. stop the immediate problem, let the insurance take over for reinstating any damage afterwards).
• Replace the stop !!!!!!, and also learn about how to isolate any tanks you have. You might even have other isolation valves around the home.
• Open all taps and drain what you can via sinks, baths, showers, etc - that'll reduce the amount of water coming via the actual leak.

I used to not take the home emergency cover (after all I'm handy with DIY) - but we suffered a break in and the back door was damaged. The police arrange for someone to come out and board us up. A job I could have done for maybe £30, if it weren't for the fact it was night time on a Saturday. The guy that came did the job and charged £250, the home emergency option on my policy was maybe £60.

I don't see that you've been scammed - but the £4500 price is obscene. Its clearly a price driven by immediate need and probably based on reading your own readiness for the situation. However you entered that contract - to argue after the fact I expect would need to be in court - you'd be throwing good money after bad. Perhaps if you have the home and family legal cover on your home insurance, give them a call and see what they think? If you don't have it, add that to the list above for next time.

shinytop

You have my sympathies. Given that he looks to have cheated you out of at least £3,000, I don't think scam is too strong a word.

Your insurance company are going to want a detailed invoice before paying out so you should ask him for that. It needs to include labour hours, number of workers, hourly/emergency rate, materials, waste disposal, leak-tracing/access work, pipe repair, report fee, VAT, and any call-out charge. You should also contact Citizen's Advice and see what they say. Take lots of photos before doing any repair work.

WIAWSNB

DS23, how did the plumber shut off the water? And how quickly was this done?

When did the agreement on ballpark figures come in to this - before or after he turned up? Before or after the water was shut off?

Section62

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82013246#Comment_82013246

Calling it a "scam" doesn't help the OP, neither does saying "cheated".

The emergency plumber isn't a public service. They gave an estimated cost range, the OP agreed to it. The OP's father was present and appears to have agreed the price was fair as well.

The alternative was for the OP to decline the emergency plumber's offer and get quotes from other traders. But doing so may have resulted in final costs in excess of the upper end of the emergency plumber's estimate, and probably a bank holiday weekend without any water.

It would be unwise for the OP to ask the plumber for a "detailed invoice", beyond what they already have, until the insurance company have said what additional information they want to support the claim.

kipsterno1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82012390#Comment_82012390

One of the jobs on my to do list is sort a leak from the main bathroom shower waste. As it's a flush fit I have two options, remove the whole of the shower or cut a hole in the ceiling below and access it from there. I will be going with the second option and I can assure you there is nothing odd about the way my house is built.