Boiler incomplete job but asking for another payment

[Trac]

Where doI stand?....
Almost 6weeks ago I got a new combi boiler upgraded from an old gravity fed system.
Theinstaller quoted me a price of **** for the job. Said he would prefer to do thewhole job in 1 day. He came out and worked through completing most of the job butdid not complete the pipework running up from my kitchen to the loft. Said hewould come back and complete it. So I said fine and I said I would pay him thetotal in cash anyway. That I did. So he leftwith is cas and said he would come back tocomplete the work.

Now,within 2 weeks of this we had a pipe leak in our bathroom due to what we believewas the pressure from the new boiler. So it got so bad I had to call out aplumber to have it repaired as the water was seeping through the floor boardsand has since left water marks on the ceiling.
Then ourshower box started to leak (I have posted about this in the shower/bathroom subforum). I informed him and still no reply. I also asked him when he wouldcomplete the job.
He hasnow replied (bu no meniono the shoe box leak!) and his response is, yes he can complete the pipe workbut he will have to charge me *** plus VAT. I feel really ripped off as hequoted for the entire job and cunningly said he would come back and yet hascreated a second job for himself.

I don’tknow what to do.
The factis he should have completed it on the day (he preferred to do it in one day asopposed to over 2 days) and I agreedthat he could come back and complete it but silly me paying him for the jobbefore it was completed fully.
He saidHE HAS TO CHARGE ME for labour, waste disposal and work on the pipes.
Ivealready paid for another plumber to repair the leaking pipe. I still have aleaking shower box and now I am being charged an extra amount for him to completehis work when he should have completed it 6 weeks ago.
Anyadvice, thank you

 

[Rickster123]

Firstly can we see pictures of the boiler install?? Also what paperwork was left by him? Receipt? Gas cert? Was the benchmark completed in the back of the boiler manual?

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Why did you pay him before he completed the work?

That's the first mistake.

Onto the leaks. Did you ring him & get advice/ask him to look & fix? If not, why? You can't then blame him for extra plumber cost if you haven't given him the chance to fix.

The work he hasn't completed but you've paid for. Was anything put in writing as per the work he'll complete for *** amount?

 

[Trac]

Thanks very much for your replies.
I shall post up a picture of th eincomplete work.
I shoul dnot have paid him on the day - MY BIG MISTAKE. I WILL NOT DO THIS AGAIN.
He did not give me a receipt as i assumed he knew the job was incomplete.
And no gas Certificate either.
He is an accredited installer. I think after the days work he was just fed up and wanted to go home and I appreciate that but at the same time he is a professional installer and should be professional and honour his work.
He said he would complete it but he didnt say it would cost me more.
Initially I asked him to spread the work over 2 days and he said he would prefer to do it all in 1 - so i agreed to this.
I have no receipt - nothing but i do have the original quote documentation.
Im not sure about the benchmark in the back of the manual - i shal have a look.
HE HAS NOT ANSWERED ANY OF MY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LEAKS - the first one had to be repaired quickly as it was seeping throuhg the floor in the bathrrom and he has avoided the shower leak too....

 

[Trac]

here is a picture of the pipe work that needs to be completed - he left a pipe well above the floors and he says he needs to run it up the walls - I am a bit naive when it comes to boilers and have no idea about these things - I feel like he has taken advanatge of my lack of knowledge...so this is the work that is incomplete.......

 

[Trac]

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Maybe he's done a runner? Who knows.

Maybe you need to give him notice to finish the agreed work & if he does not it small claims court.

 

[Trac]

No he hasnt done a runner as he emailed me yesterday after many emails about the leaks and the need to complet ethe work so he is around. he just wants to levy anither fee and create a 2nd separate job in order to justify this extra payment. At the end of the day a boiler is a boiler and it needs pipes. And surely piping is part of any boiler upgrade/installation. he quoted for the complete job and it was over 4K. and bear in mind i still have a leaking shower box caused by the new boiler and I had to pay another pluber to repair a leaking pipe in bathroom.surely he should have checked all of the water pressure or tested it on the day when he was supposed to complete.
i dont want to go through the small claims court as I dont want to damage somones business or reputation - it's all greed at the end of the day but if I have to take this route then I will have to as the work has not been complete and I am angry with myself for paying him on the day and it was quite a bit of money.

 

[Best]

Any of the leaks on original pipe work being faulty and not able to take the extra pressure or damage is nothing to do with your plumber.
Small claims court would need plenty of hard evidence, like estimates, emailed or texts to show he hadn't done what he was paid for

 

[Trac]

i wouldnt be taking him to small claims over the leaks but i would be over not completing the original job and levying any extra fee to complete the work - he has created a second job

 

[Best]

You could always I suppose just tell him to go ahead with finishing the job and then not bother paying him the extra. Just say on the day that he is doing the work for him to leave the bill

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Yep, as I said give him notice to complete HIS work

Any extra is chargeable

If he doesn't return then you can decide what you want to do

 

[rocketmanbkk]

i wouldnt be taking him to small claims over the leaks but i would be over not completing the original job and levying any extra fee to complete the work - he has created a second job

Can you prove the leaks are down to him?

It seems like you are in a battle with him

Maybe that's why he's not returning to you with ease? Who knows, only you & him know the full story.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

any more pics eg boiler flue tec please trac

 

[rpm]

Reading the 2 separate posts I can see your frustration with him and the lack of his communications within a reasonable time frame however the matter of creating a second job and charging really depends on that quote you have. I`m thinking the job took longer than he thought it would so perhaps there is something to negotiate.

 

[Trac]

the job was carried out (albeit not complete) on 10 August - thats almost 6 weeks ago

 

[Trac]

I can ssure you RPM that he was the one who assured me he would do it in 1 day - he said he would do it in 1 as opposed to spreading over to 2...and that's fine but then to leave it uncomplete . he didnt even have enough time to show me how to run the dial correctly. I sensed he needed to get away which is fine but part of being a professional installer is to explain how to use the controls! And yes maybe it did prove to be more than he thought but why should he levy a charge to finish the job? As a professional who hads undobtedly undertaken many jobs, he shoud know his capabilities.. i will be honest, I think that he knows I have no idea about boilers and pipes (which I dont) and he realised he could possible wrnagle the situtaion and maybe greed got the better, who knows. Fat is this: you agree to do a job with pipes and all, you install the boiler and thats the job. This has not been carried out as we still have pipe work that is not correct. he left it this way. Yes I am frustrated and i should not have paid him but as a professional installer really, it's not good practice.

 

[Trac]

im not in a battle - i have emailed him many times and he did not reply - i just want the job completed but if it takes longer and going down other routes until it is agreeable then so be it

 

[Trac]

had no leaks before this and within 2 weeks we got the first leak in a bathrrom pipe

 

[rpm]

Is there anything in the quote about unforeseen circumstances?

 

[Gasmk1]

the water pressure on the hot water pipework is probably higher now than when it was a cylinder so this was possibly cause of water leak also will probably be the problem with your shower as it was more than likely a low pressure model connected to the water tank and the hot water cylinder. he probably should have checked that but we all make mistakes, it is possible that the shower is irreparable if it is quite old as the upgrade to high pressure may not be available. so i think that a new shower will be possibly needed.

 

[REDSAW]

send him an email stating that you request him to attend your property to discuss the situation and plan on what needs doing, withe the intention of completing on the day of visit.
also, state on the email that if you have not received communication from him in say; 4 days you will contact gas safe as you feel the connected gas appliance has not been fully commissioned. (that will make him respond).

when he turns up go through the jobs required and use the quote for reference.
if he still insists there is a charge (perhaps issues not covered in quote) step back and think for the price it may solve all or negotiate or turn him down and tell him you will still contact gas safe 'just incase'

see what happens then!

£4k a lot for that job, do you live in Kensington?

 

[REDSAW]

send him an email stating that you request him to attend your property to discuss the situation and plan on what needs doing, withe the intention of completing on the day of visit.
also, state on the email that if you have not received communication from him in say; 4 days you will contact gas safe as you feel the connected gas appliance has not been fully commissioned. (that will make him respond).

when he turns up go through the jobs required and use the quote for reference.
if he still insists there is a charge (perhaps issues not covered in quote) step back and think for the price it may solve all or negotiate or turn him down and tell him you will still contact gas safe 'just incase'

see what happens then!

£4k a lot for that job, do you live in Kensington?

ps. i always charge extra for pipe work or connected 'fittings' leaks, it is not part of the job quoted.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

I reckon he doesn't want to return

10th August?

I'd say you have a battle

There must be a reason he isn't returning

Must be something

 

[REDSAW]

I reckon he doesn't want to return

10th August?

I'd say you have a battle

There must be a reason he isn't returning

Must be something

come running back when gas safe informed of an un commissioned appliance connected to gas supply though

 

[Scott_D]

Pictures needed!

 

[Riley]

ps. i always charge extra for pipe work or connected 'fittings' leaks, it is not part of the job quoted.

Totally agree with this point. I always mention any potential leaks etc as we can't be held responsible for existing pipework.

 

[Trac]

Thank you all so much for this advice.
Thank you it’s all very helpful.
I have spoken with Gas Safe and my boiler has not been registered with them and they said I can raise a complaint but I will let the installer know of this and see how he would like to respond.
GasMk – thank you for information ref my shower – this too is helpful – i will get a new shower but in the meantime I need to deal with the leak – luckily it’s dripping into the bath.
I actually don’t use this shower anyway, we have a mixer on our bath tap and this is quite good so we aren’t using this other shower but still it’s leaking all day.