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Ripped off by heating engineer?

View the thread, titled "Ripped off by heating engineer?" which is posted in Find Local Plumbers - Post a Job on UK Plumbers Forums.

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Benjaminsbarn

Hi all,
i'm seeking advice on a bill I've received. My partner calle out an oil heating engineer as the boiler had locked out. The engineer visited and took 20 mins to discover there was no oil in the tank as it had been stolen overnight. The next day he returned to bleed and prime the boiler which took less than an hour. His bill is almost £500 (yes, five hundred) that is invluding a twenty minute journey time. The bill shows 8 hours labour charge! And 2 hours journey time. I wish to challenge this bill and report him as it is clearly fraudulent. Can someone please tell me what is closer to a reasonable fee for this service. The boiler is a worcester danesmoor, there was no other work carried out and no complications during the process.
Thanks in advance, Ben.



five hundred
 
It was a weekday, called him in the morning and told him to come at his convenience. He came 2 days later about lunchtime. The property is rented, he is a friend of the landlord and the landlord has stated we are only allowed to use his approved engineer - of which he is the only one.
thanks for the swift reply.
 
First give him the opportunity to explain why the bill shows 8 hours for labour as you say it was less than an hour. If we include previous visit the day before, we can assume 2 hours then travelling time. So give him the opportunity to explain the bill.
 
Thanks, but we've tried that. He refused to discuss the bill and merely said if we refuse to pay he will take us to court. We have now been summoned to small claims court. I know most local engineers charge £150 max for a full service. This is (in my opinion) a blatant scam between the landlord and his mate and we have heard from previous tenants that the same thing happened to them
 
My replies don't seem to be posting. I think this forum doesn't like my early gen iPad.
 
just charged a customer £475 to get their oil boiler going on friday, involved 2 yisits and 7 hours labour in all, depends what he did, copy of invoice needed to comment
 
It is probably a genuine mistake give the engineer the chance to explain before attacking him!or we are missing some of the story as others have mentioned!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Am trying to reply but the mod hasn't posted my replies - maybe they'll all come through at once!
 
Beboers said:
It is probably a genuine mistake give the engineer the chance to explain before attacking him!or we are missing some of the story as others have mentioned!
Click to expand...

Most probably not a mistake. As BOD mentioned in his reply: What day of the week was it, and most importantly, what time of day was it (especially the first visit)? You wouldn't expect an engineer to visit your premises at 'unsociable' hours then chagre you day rates, would you?

I have found that women are quick to make decisions without consulting their husbands or partners, then when all hell breaks loose, it is the engineers fault?
A Customer was visited and after all options explained to her, she decided to swap her pumped gravity system for a WB Combi boiler. After we had it fitted, the husband came home from work as we were finishing off and demanded to know why he will not have his hot water cylinder? He insisted that he wanted his old set-up back.
 
village idiot said:
Most probably not a mistake. As BOD mentioned in his reply: What day of the week was it, and most importantly, what time of day was it (especially the first visit)? You wouldn't expect an engineer to visit your premises at 'unsociable' hours then chagre you day rates, would you?

I have found that women are quick to make decisions without consulting their husbands or partners, then when all hell breaks loose, it is the engineers fault?
A Customer was visited and after all options explained to her, she decided to swap her pumped gravity system for a WB Combi boiler. After we had it fitted, the husband came home from work as we were finishing off and demanded to know why he will not have his hot water cylinder? He insisted that he wanted his old set-up back.
Click to expand...

what happened to the cooling off period letter etc as required by law for door to door sales, which I hate to tell you all, we are considered to be under. Me, I might have waited till they were both home! Anything over £35 sold over the thresh hold needs cooling off period of 7 days or signed concent to carry on and cancellation letter made available. Mad maybe, but you tell that to the beak when you try the small claims process!

And that BB is your route to follow via trading standards if you wish to contest the bill
 
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My partner did the right thing and only option available to us. With 2 small children and near freezing temperatures it needed fixing! I was present during his visits and know that my partner was not exaggerating timescale!
 
lame plumber said:
what happened to the cooling off period letter etc as required by law for door to door sales, which I hate to tell you all, we are considered to be under. Me, I might have waited till they were both home! Anything over £35 sold over the thresh hold needs cooling off period of 7 days or signed concent to carry on and cancellation letter made available. Mad maybe, but you tell that to the beak when you try the small claims process!

And that BB is your route to follow via trading standards if you wish to contest the bill
Click to expand...

The cooling off thingy is one I pay no attention to.
Try telling a homeowner (in the middle of winter), that you will have to wait for seven days for them to decide if they want the install to go ahead? Most of them want it now.
 
They need to be offered the cooling off period or sign a waiver saying they don't want it
 
Benjaminsbarn said:
It was a weekday, called him in the morning and told him to come at his convenience. He came 2 days later about lunchtime. The property is rented, he is a friend of the landlord and the landlord has stated we are only allowed to use his approved engineer - of which he is the only one.
thanks for the swift reply.
Click to expand...
Am I missing something here? Why are you as a tenant paying a bill for maintaining a boiler in a RENTED property.I always assumed this was the landlord's responsibility.You say previous tenants have had to do this.I would not be renting any property where this was expected.When I attend rented property, bills go to the landlord/letting agency.
 
Dannypipe said:
What's that got to do with it???
Click to expand...
That was a response to the previous question 'what were you expecting to pay - a tenner'
because my replies didn't come though in the right order it seems kinda random! If you now read from the beginning it should make sense!
 
Benjaminsbarn said:
My partner did the right thing and only option available to us. With 2 small children and near freezing temperatures it needed fixing! I was present during his visits and know that my partner was not exaggerating timescale!
Click to expand...

I did say most of them want it done now.
The only question now is: Were you told what the hourly charges will be? Was there a call out fee element to the bill? We know he has exaggerated the labour time, but we need him to qualify WHY?
 
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