Leak in customer house.

[Ryooo]

Hi what's the best advice in dealing with a leak in a customers house?

1. Stripped out bathroom suite, installed 1st fix shower pipes in stud wall.
2. Turned water on, cheeked all joints.
3. Show customer completed works. Happy with job and paid me
4. Get a phone call 3 days later saying there is a leak. I get him to discuss over the phone. He idtenifies it as the shower pipes, precisely the speed fit cap I've capped the end off with. Job done. Call me back later to say its not its the soldered elbow at the wall.
5. I arrange to go there a couple days later, call him on the day before no answer. Texts me in the middle night saying he has forgot to leave me a key. Can I come the following day?
6. The following day I get shingles confirmed and decided to take a few day off. He is now not happy.
7. After taking two days off, I make contact. He has now fixed my leak, cracked on with the job because he could not wait and sent me an estimated damage cost of £350.
8. Try to resolve over messages, he lift the water on while property was empty, no one went to house till 2 days after plumbing work was done etc
Now it's getting pretty heated.

To summarise, this is my first unhappy customer. I went self employed in May. I have insurance etc. He wanted the job done cheap as chips. He was plumbing in the kitchen sink to a 1st year level. One of his DIY moments could have caused this.

What is the correct procedure you experienced guys go through when this sort of things happened?

Cheers Ryan

 

[oz-plumber]

To summarise, this is my first unhappy customer.
- I went self employed in May.
- I have insurance etc.
- He wanted the job done cheap as chips.
- He was plumbing in the kitchen sink to a 1st year level.

What is the correct procedure you experienced guys go through when this sort of things happened?

Cheers Ryan

Those point are all that really matters.
You're new to being self employed - be prepared for more of it.

If you want some advice from someone who has been in the game for almost 30 years.

You mentioned that he wants £350.00 from you for damages.
Even if my insurance excess was £500.00 I would put it through insurance.

Wipe you hands in regards to the job and customer, let the Insurance company deal with him.

And learn from the experience!!!!!

 

[Harvest Fields]

You offered to go back. Have been polite and he cancelled then got it fixed without giving you the chance to go back?

 

[Aire]

How's one of his diy moments going to cause one of your soldered joints to leak? It's ok getting defensive because your being pursued for money but at the end of the day it is your fault. You arranged to go back a few days later, in that time did you advise the customer to turn off the water? What was the hold up in going back (prior to shingles diagnosis)? I don't know about others on here, but if I get a call saying I've got a leak, I go that day.

 

[Millsy 82]

As Craig has said if someone phones me up and says they have a leak on potentially my work I'm out there that day. Just to try and stop things from getting worse ceilings down etc.

Do you know what damage was caused? Have you got or has he sent photos of any damage or is it your word against his?

Personally I wouldnt get insurance involved for such a small amount as your insurance will go up loads next year.

 

[Harvest Fields]

The customer cancelled the appointment not him mate? It was a leak on his joint? As far as he was told. But never actually saw that. It might not have been and the custard might be trying to pull a fast one. Who knows?

 

[Aire]

The customer cancelled the appointment not him mate? It was a leak on his joint? As far as he was told. But never actually saw that. It might not have been and the custard might be trying to pull a fast one. Who knows?

Op said he arranged to go a couple of days later and that's when the customer forgot to leave the key. Why the initial delay? Would you leave a customer a couple days with a leak you've caused?

 

[Burger]

Op said he arranged to go a couple of days later and that's when the customer forgot to leave the key. Why the initial delay? Would you leave a customer a couple days with a leak you've caused?

Could be the customer delaying? If it were me I would like to go out same day, but you don’t know the customers circumstances. Op mentioned the house was empty. There’s also no proof it’s his fault, Circumstantial if you ask me.

 

[Aire]

Could be the customer delaying? If it were me I would like to go out same day, but you don’t know the customers circumstances. Op mentioned the house was empty. There’s also no proof it’s his fault, Circumstantial if you ask me.

Could be the customer delaying, which is why I asked him what the delay was rather than jump to conclusions. I would also agree that I would want eyes on sight to prove whether the leak was mine or not before accepting responsibility for the damage.

 

[Burger]

Could be the customer delaying, which is why I asked him what the delay was rather than jump to conclusions. I would also agree that I would want eyes on sight to prove whether the leak was mine or not before accepting responsibility for the damage.

Totally agree, no agree button yet and post has to be longer than 5 words.