Advice needed please.

[cr0ft]

Thought it was best to start a new thread on this one. This is further to our verbally abusive customer I spoke about on our other thread. We fitted a bath for them which we tiled around and we also did a repair on their WC (new fill valve). Unfortunately, the flush valve started to leak when we had the water off and the cistern empty, the seal would not drop down fully when we put it back on. The customer was incredibly aggressive about this when I was at their property at 7pm in the evening trying to sort it. I was unable to replace the flush valve as it was a drop valve I did not have on the van and also the cistern had been siliconed to the wall with tons of silicon. Removing it was going to remove the tiles behind it too.

As predictable as the sun rising this one is. Got an email back from them tonight. Despite us having 2 appointments to agree the exact design in detail and it being detailed on the quote as a follows: -

Replace existing bath with new bath supplied by us.
New bath to be installed with front edge in same position as existing bath.
Gap round back and left hand side of bath to be boxed and tiled.
Tiled removable bath panel to be installed on front of bath.

Bearing in mind we have a text from the customer the evening she got home to see the bath installation which reads: -

"Hi Keiran. Will ring you once Dave's (husband) been home. I love it. Like a hotel bathroom. Thanks so much. Speak soon."

The gap was caused by them buying an odd sized 1730x700mm B&Q bath and putting it in an alcove. We fitted a 1650x700 bath and fitted horizontal tiles and trim around the back and opposite side from the shower to fill the gaps. The customer is now complaining that the trim holds a bit of water after showering and they want us to remove the tiles/trim and raise the tiles up to sit level with the top of the trim. I don't think they understand entirely how tile trim works, i.e. it covers the cut edges. I've suggested using a squeegee like most of our customers do in shower areas.

I've told them if they believe this is a genuine cause for complaint that we should get an independent chartered surveyor in to assess our installation as I do not believe they are being reasonable any more. We will then make good any issues they pick up on. Other than that we still expect to be paid within 4 days or we will send out a letter before action. Does that sound reasonable? We are currently owed £964.32p .

 

[Chalked]

They sound like a..holes. But the tiling you have done should not hold water, the tiles can be set just slightly higher than the trim with a slight fall to the bath.

I would try and be friendly and race the tiles affected. Then they have no reason not to pay.

 

[cr0ft]

But then the cut edges are on show which is going to look awful surely?

 

[Nostrum]

Can't the cut be faced to the wall and the original edge up to the tile trim?

if not then surely level would suffice?

 

[AlexGas]

Could you go back, put more tiles on top and redo the side to it? It’s not a big job, cos this way they can see you are trying to sort it out for them. Everyone’s the winner.

 

[Leo21]

Ask him what you've got to do to get paid for starters. Agree it with him and tell him to have his card or cash ready for immediate payment upon completion.
If there are any call backs or warranty work, don't attend. Tell him all issues will be dealt with when paid in full for extra work.

 

[cr0ft]

We are talking about a 3cm strip of tiles along the side of the bath here. One option I am thinking about is to sand the white trims down level with the top of the tile. I think this could be done pretty neatly using the tops of the tile and a sanding block with fine sand paper.

My issue is that the design of the installation was discussed in detail and written on the quote. Even if the tile trim is catching water it's just going to look plain wrong fitting the tiles with a gap up to the trim as the trim is designed to go over the edge of the tile. To be honest he was pretty aggressive with me in person the other day and I have stated we won't be spoken to like that and won't be going back to do any further work for them. I would much rather pay another tiling company to rectify any 'issues' than go back myself.

We've done stacks of wrap around bath tiling in this way and never once had a complaint. I think they are just looking for any reason not to pay and am considering getting an independent chartered surveyor in to assess the whole job.

 

[Leo21]

Don't go there, indulge him and get paid. Going the long route will cost you more than your owed.

 

[cr0ft]

We won't be going back after how he spoke to me the other night. Totally aggressive. I would have them get another tiler in to rectify any 'issue' rather than go back myself. I won't have me of any of my staff spoken to like I was spoken to the other night by him.

 

[Best]

I think he has you trapped in the "jobs not satisfactory" claim.
You might have to go back & do it exactly to what he wants just to be seen to be "doing it right" & to get your money. Only do go back if you have agreed exactly what he wants & you think okay to remedy the job to his satisfaction & state you will not accept his nasty behaviour again.
Remember that if this was put in front of a judge at moment, the simple facts the judge would see is the customer is not happy with the job & claims water is trapped on tiling around the bath & you are refusing to fix it. Sadly that's how a lot of tradesmen will be treated.

 

[Ermintrude]

Get a small round file the type used to sharpen chainsaw 1/4" or smaller file the trim at grout lines, rub with fine wet and dry and then clean with upvc cleaner. Get paid and leave.

 

[AlexGas]

There are some not very nice people out there. I know how it feels… It’s a total wind up, you just want to forget. Don’t let them get to you, do your best, get out of it and hopefully it’ll be all history. Hope it’s gonna work out for you.

 

[cr0ft]

Would fine sanding of the trim to bring it down to the tile surface do the trick folks? It's a white Homelux PVC trim. It's what I'm thinking at the moment. Removing the tiles will be a complete nightmare and the next trim down will be too small.

 

[Ermintrude]

Is it square or quadrant if quad your not in luck!

 

[Leo21]

Croft, you do know there's a possibility that he's being tw@t on purpose as a ploy not to have to pay you.

 

[cr0ft]

It's quadrant. Apparently there is an independent inspection of the work tomorrow at 12. Just waiting to find out if this is another bathroom fitter or whether it's a chartered surveyor. If it's the latter I will go. If it's the former I won't.

The customer is also alleging we have damaged their WC as when we replaced their fill valve the drop valve started leaking. I've asked them to explain how I can have damaged the seal on the drop valve without doing any work on it. We will see how that one goes.

 

[cr0ft]

Croft, you do know there's a possibility that he's being tw@t on purpose as a ploy not to have to pay you.

Yep, 100% convinced of it. We do all our bath installs like this when we do wrap around tiling and never had a complaint yet about it in 6.5 years.

 

[Best]

I get the feeling that this sort of customer may not accept any easy remedy. But worth politely suggesting any easy solution. While they have your money, they are the boss.

 

[cr0ft]

Apparently they have had loads of bad tradespeople over the years too, or so she was saying to me when I took the job. I wish I had read into that properly at the time.

 

[Ermintrude]

Remove it and walk away then. Offer to fix it and just remove all your work un install bath and clean it up like new.

 

[cr0ft]

I would so love to do that but I have a feeling that would damage my reputation a bit more!

 

[Leo21]

Don't think perhaps people know what they're like, and will think "fair play" for standing up to them?