Been asked out by the customer today

[Stanios]

So I've been asked out by the customer today..
who is a 50 year old man
Not on a date but for a fight!

Never seen the bloke before, got in touch through trustatrader went in to put two rads in and do gas certificate for boiler.. Man he was weird to start with, wouldnt shut up kept asking most moronic questions i.e "how do you turn rad valve on and off" then talking his head off about doing all the decorating in the house, then about his girlfriend. Then paying my work compliments every two minutes.. Jesus I though what a weird fellow I'l take pity on him clearly everyone else takes advantage of this village idiot.

I turned out to be the village idiot! He was just acting! Soon as the rads were on and he saw they were on his boiler (8 year old GW) mysteriously broke down even though all I did was turn it off to drain the system. And did the fangs come out! Along with alot of F words! He flipped like a switch. "wheres your qualifications?! who allowed you to touch the boiler! im not paying for new boiler!" I told him that im in no way responsible for the boiler and that he better pay for them rads Ive put in, he said he will unless he said I think he is a ****taker to which I replied politely that I indeed think he is just that and in response he politely asked me to come outside for a one to one!

I told him to stuff his money packed my bags and had the door promtly shut behind me. How do these people sleep at night?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

pcb

 

[Scott_D]

Did you try the boiler before starting work?

 

[Rickster123]

God I miss Croydon!

 

[plumben]

Should of wrapped your bacho round his head then rag the rads back off the wall

 

[gassafe]

Stuff the money?? Nahhhh, I'm getting paid....... You need to get back round there lol

 

[Stanios]

Stuff the money?? Nahhhh, I'm getting paid....... You need to get back round there lol

I'd only go back there after an epic training regiment of rigorous step running followed by log tossing and snow tredging in siberian mountains.

DRAGOOO!!

 

[Best]

I'd be too stubborn to let him get away with it. Bring a few heavy mates with you and confront him. Got to watch these idiots aren't carrying knives though.

 

[gassafe]

Another trust a trader type website screwing the tradesmen it seems!!

 

[jgmgasservices]

Ronnie Pickering?

 

[joni os]

Stay calm, stay professional and don't let these people set the agenda by descending to their level of argument and abuse. At least that's what my daughter tells me. She does NHS work in the community and has been threatened, on occasion, with dogs, knives and guns. Luckily for the people making the threats she has been in a good mood at the time.

 

[WaterTight]

I'm with you on stuff the money.

And despite all the big talk of assaulting him with a blunt instrument or organsising a lynching in his honour, the bigger man chalks one up to random forces of the loony universe and puts his safety before his pride.

I've no interest in 'the principle of the thing' and the personal risk I'll put myself at to 'not let someone get away with something' is close to zero.

What money is worth risking being severely injured by a lucky punch by some pyscho **** or severely injuring him with one?

I'd be putting all my efforts into not caring, moving on and enjoying waking up the next day with a fist that doesn't hurt from hitting someone with it and no background stress worrying about the old bill popping by if I'd done too good a job.

 

[SimonG]

Letter. Recorded delivery with invoice. 7 days or legal action to follow.

Advise other trades you know to give a wide berth.

Or go back with the video running on the phone.

 

[village idiot]

So I've been asked out by the customer today..

what a weird fellow I'l take pity on him clearly everyone else takes advantage of this village idiot.

I turned out to be the village idiot!

You finally met the Village Idiot? And you are based in Croydon as well. Next you will be going out for a drink with him? I'd watch out if I were you. I wouldn't trust him any day of the week

 

[newcastle phill]

Crap covered brick through the biggest window and a box full of clout nails where he parks his car.

This is just a fantasy and i am in no way suggesting this should be done. That would be silly and unprofessional and illegal.

Newcastle phill and his team of contributors are merely using dramatic artistic impact to act out a make believe scenario. All persons and references are coincidental and not based on real life characters

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

Take it on the chin and stop moaning, the guy is obviously without and in need of some help and your a rich plumber (is there any other type) and you can easily afford the hit!!

 

[gmartine]

I have taser disguised as a torch you can borrow, just don't get caught or it's jail time.

 

[hammers4spanner]

Let it blow over for couple days then send a text reference the radiators that you need paying etc etc .

He may have mellowed and now be more responsive or thats what he does to get away with paying trades .

Keep chasing so he knows your not going anywhere.

 

[Dsp]

Turn off the water outside you won't need to wait long until he come outside to see what's up then demand payment to turn it back on if he won't knock the valve head off

 

[joni os]

Turn off the water outside you won't need to wait long until he come outside to see what's up then demand payment to turn it back on if he won't knock the valve head off

There was a similar situation a few weeks back regarding a hairdresser and the consensus of opinion was we should all act within the law. However, thinking back to what happened to Yorkshire Water vans when they declared a water shortage, I wouldn't cross a Yorkshire man.

 

[dangreen]

Sounds like a right numpty. It's a pity there's no proper way to catalogue this kind of customer, when a trader is a scumbag, they soon get a bad reputaiton.