the old lady routine

[ambrosia]

lady phoned me up this morning because her boiler has broken,
says she thought it was because the pressure had dropped. I said okay call me when you get home and I will try and talk you through topping it up, its quite a simple task

She rings back this evening, I ask her a few questions and it quickly become apparent its needs more than a top-up, so i tell her i'm going to have to come to the property for which there would be a charge
before i can tell her my prices she off

"I'm an old lady and its very cold, and my elderly mother is staying whos 82 and from Nigeria so shes not used to the cold and we cant be without heating etc" (i'm not fully listening by this time). "Perhaps you could just come round and have a look because it might be easy to fix. And I live round the corner so we're neighbours"

what i wanted to say but didnt is "i feel very sorry for you, but you own your own flat, youre richer than me, why do you think i should come out in the cold in exchange for a cup of tea when I could be at a paying customers house"


Im sure that every one of you has heard this well practised routine, and some of you with less cold hearts than mine end up working for a cup of tea and a biscuit

 

[SimonJohns]

i just had the same

an old lady phones this morning, asking to phone back as she cant afford to ring (alarm bells ringing)

she explains that the heating was working, put the water on and boiler hasnt worked since

explained the condense is prob frozen, talks through how to defrost with kettle and hot water bottle

phoned back this evening and she said problem was still there, and out comes the speil of you plumbers are soo expensive. blah blah blah

well i gave in the end and went round, as i got there it magicly came back to life

and all i had for this was a cup of tea!!!!


Bloody grandmothers!!!!

 

[Best]

It is not so bad if they tell you they don't want or can't pay BEFORE you go to their job!
I hate the ones that bring you out for nothing.
If someone rang me now & told me they hadn't a penny but had an emergency, I probably would help them if it wasn't too involving.

 

[ambrosia]

It is not so bad if they tell you they don't want or can't pay BEFORE you go to go to their job!

ahh Best dont get me started, worked in a resturant a while ago, presented then with an invoice with the previously agreed price after the job was done and the manager decided that was the time to negotiate the price

 

[SimonJohns]

ahh Best dont get me started, worked in a resturant a while ago, presented then with an invoice after the job was done and the manager decided that was the time to negotiate the price

did he negotiate with food,

ive had a curry house offer me a full meal as payment

and a chinese do the same!!

 

[Barry98]

I only go if they have Jammie dodgers

 

[Best]

I only go if they have Jamie dodgers

Wine store for me!

 

[RPG 80]

I've had an old dear before pleading poverty after ive moved a couple of rads for her. This is while we're stood in the reception hall of her + 400K mansion she's rattling round on her own. I wish i was that hard up.

 

[scotty plumber]

I bet you most of these old lady's have very generous life saving's but resent to paying going rates as back in the day the local diy-er done it for next to nothing!

 

[sparra1100]

i used to say in my add cheaper rates for pensioners but you,d get the mother at the daughters saying she was an old lady and it was her house to get it done cheap wen clearly it wasnt her house, or my friend can do it for such an amount but he,s busy so i stopped that ad and most are not skint they just play on it we all have bills to pay am not being harsh just you get fed up of it cos its constant

 

[bantamgas]

I only go if they have Jammie dodgers

Too easily pleased you are,minimum of 4 Jaffa Cakes for me!!!

 

[PlumbBobBob]

got to be custard creams

 

[Rickster123]

I don't mind the occasional freebie for an elderly customer. It tends to lead to nice earners at a later date. But, I hate it when you go out and get the boiler going and nothing is offered. Then I'll charge. It's the old girl who says oh no take this fiver and get yourself a drink that I love the most.

 

[jhon lennon]

had the same thing mate 70 year old lady with pram's and kids toys all over the house cleaver arnt they and its supposed to be us that's the cowboys lol

 

[clarky101]

An old boy once gave me £2 & said get yourself a pint to which i replied "shall i put the rest to it"....

 

[Leo21]

I just love it when you make an effort to go on your way home knackered, covered in brick dust and flux. When you get there it's working! No offer of payment ,sorry hope I haven't wasted your time! Why!

 

[adam84]

I dont call people back "because they cant afford a phone call" nor do work for free, i may under curtain circumstances knock a few quid of a job, but if worked for everyone on the cheap youd be out of buisness pronto, i also think it is realy cheeky of someone (espescialy strangers) to expect you go round to their property and work for free.

 

[SimonJohns]

I dont call people back "because they cant afford a phone call" nor do work for free, i may under curtain circumstances knock a few quid of a job, but if worked for everyone on the cheap youd be out of buisness pronto, i also think it is realy cheeky of someone (espescialy strangers) to expect you go round to their property and work for free.

I don't know if you missed my comment. But it was my nan

 

[adam84]

I don't know if you missed my comment. But it was my nan

In that case i get round there and make sure your nan is ok young man! 😱

 

[justalex81]

i do not "work" for free. prices are clearly stated either on the phone or face to face. no haggling after the job is complete.

 

[Mike Jackson]

I had a call this morning.
"Can you come round and give me an estimate for repairing my heating system?"

"Yes, it will cost you £40"

"But I only want a price to repair it"

"Before I can give you a price I need to diagnose the fault which will take me time and cost you £40"

She's going to get back to me. She'll probably try and get some mug to diagnose the fault for free.

 

[Best]

I had a call this morning.
"Can you come round and give me an estimate for repairing my heating system?"

"Yes, it will cost you £40"

"But I only want a price to repair it"

"Before I can give you a price I need to diagnose the fault which will take me time and cost you £40"

She's going to get back to me. She'll probably try and get some mug to diagnose the fault for free.

...or she might try this forum! :grin:

 

[SimonG]

Since working for myself (soon to be 7 years woohoo!) I'm a lot thicker skinned (few pounds heavier) and a damn site wiser. Price is a price, if it's that simple a job do it yourself, if it's only a five minute job get on, I'm poor - so would I be if I didn't charge every time I heard some bleeding heart story. But that's just me, I'm not a registered charity and work to provide for my family and my future. How would they feel having done a months work for their employers to be told that times are hard, the boss can't afford a new merc so your'e only getting 80% of your wage.

 

[sparra1100]

Since working for myself (soon to be 7 years woohoo!) I'm a lot thicker skinned (few pounds heavier) and a damn site wiser. Price is a price, if it's that simple a job do it yourself, if it's only a five minute job get on, I'm poor - so would I be if I didn't charge every time I heard some bleeding heart story. But that's just me, I'm not a registered charity and work to provide for my family and my future. How would they feel having done a months work for their employers to be told that times are hard, the boss can't afford a new merc so your'e only getting 80% of your wage.

yep thats my point ,tell ye what come in to work today work allday but ye not getting your £60 i,l give you £30 or come in work sat morning but am not paying you but youve got to do it or if some of these people do overtime and dont get paid they kick off and moan i work all the time doing overtime and sometimes get nothing thats why am fed up of this job now sorry i done my gas and went into debt should have done driving with someone else worrying

 

[Leo21]

People seem to confuse call out charge with diagnosis charge. A quote is something done with a tape measure, a pad and a pen. Not tools! I'm also very weary of giving estimates over the phone or any idea of what's wrong. Which people use to ring round and get cheaper quotes. If you use your tools you get paid "simples"

 

[scotty plumber]

Charge em double next time!

 

[SafeGasInstall]

one of my neighbours 10 houses down the road caledl back in the summer complaining of a smell of gas ! went round in 5 min .Gas fire restricted elbow was leaking so in need it new one , i went round to local shop got new one and repaired ! Charged customer i think £15 materials and £50 labour to which Steve goes are you sure ?? I thought he was thinking this was well expansive but NO ,he thought i undercharged them and give ma £10 bonus ! not all old customers are bad ! In my local scrappy often gives me £1 for my boy ! onesi had the wife in the van and he thought my wife was my daughter and gave me £2 🙂

 

[secret squirrel]

People seem to confuse call out charge with diagnosis charge. A quote is something done with a tape measure, a pad and a pen. Not tools! I'm also very weary of giving estimates over the phone or any idea of what's wrong. Which people use to ring round and get cheaper quotes. If you use your tools you get paid "simples"

Couldn't agree more.

 

[secret squirrel]

one of my neighbours 10 houses down the road caledl back in the summer complaining of a smell of gas ! went round in 5 min .Gas fire restricted elbow was leaking so in need it new one , i went round to local shop got new one and repaired ! Charged customer i think £15 materials and £50 labour to which Steve goes are you sure ?? I thought he was thinking this was well expansive but NO ,he thought i undercharged them and give ma £10 bonus ! not all old customers are bad ! In my local scrappy often gives me £1 for my boy ! onesi had the wife in the van and he thought my wife was my daughter and gave me £2 🙂

£2 because he thought your wife was your daughter! how old must you look! LOL

 

[SafeGasInstall]

I am only 33 , wife looks like 17-18 he thought , but she is 29 ! Some times she can't get me a drink from local shops

 

[Barry98]

I am only 33 , wife looks like 17-18 he thought , but she is 29 ! Some times she can't get me a drink from local shops

ive seen pics on his FB and shes out his league hes defo batting above his weight , shes premiership and hes sunday league 🙂

 

[Toned.f]

Couldn't agree more.

Me too

 

[jhon lennon]

you sound like a very lucky man take care of her ime sure you do