Chargeable time

[GPSNewcastle]

Anyone else had a problem with getting payment for extra time you are required to spend on the job sorting out problems above and beyond the work you priced for. E.g called out to decommission a gas fire and found a cooker piped into the gas line with a push fit connection so was asked by the customer to sort it, did and then they refused to pay extra.

Anyone got any tips on terms etc to add to invoices/prices?

 

[johnmcginty]

Have you tried stamping on their toes?

 

[plumsum]

poke emin the eye and run away screaming!

 

[moony]

agree a price before hand or say its your duty to cap off as id.

 

[kirkgas]

actually it is your duty to advise it is not right and ask for permission to either fix (which seems to have happened here) or disconnect & cap, then contact supplier, what OP is asking is how to get paid, and as others have said, make it clear that the work found through visual inspection is not part of quote and will cost £x to fix and do you agree to pay the extra, i know we have all got caught a bit with things like this, and many years ago remember my then boss having something like this where he was working in a house when the punter from next door came in asking for help as shower had burst and was flooding, george went in, had a look turned off water then said it will cost £50 to repair yes or no, the guy said yes, so george went out got a new olive and a couple of spanners, but more importantly his quote/invoice book and procedded to write the job up, the guy said fix first then i will pay you, geo said no prob but i want a sig from you beofre i fix and was adament, so he got the sig, fitted a new olive water back on then turned to the guy and said £50 please, the guy said no it only took you 5 mins im not paying for that, geo said you have agreed and signed and it is fixed pay up, the guy said no so geo just shrugged and left, the guy was delighted, 2hrs later the cheeky **** was back in complaining there was no water at any tap and he better get his arse back in there to fix it, geo said dont know what you are talking about i have never been paid for doing any work for you, do you have any proof i have been in your house, the guy produced his copy and the £50, geo said ok and went out and turned his toby back on, class act that guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Gray0689]

Nice one I like George lol

 

[Dannypipe]

Some people have more front than Tescos.

 

[GPSNewcastle]

I need to take a leaf out of georges book! I dont know why but personally I find the confrontation with customers hard when they are adamant that they shouldnt be paying even when it is a perfectly reasonable extra. I think I will have a think about how to words something for terms and conditions to put on the back of my invoices as its easier to stand firm when it is in writing.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

i would just cut off there gas/water/fingers etc

 

[Puddle]

I like the george story ,however he was just lucky that someone walked past the house and turned the water off,the same time as the customer would not pay !
You can not rely on luck,I am with the 'poke them in the eye,pick their pockets and run away ' gang


imho

 

[julesverne]

a nicely worded letter detailing the extra work involved and charge for that. explaining if they don't pay then the invoice will be passed onto a debt collection agency who will add their charges and will seek recompence through the courts and if a judgement is given against them they will find it nigh on impossible to get credit in the future as the judgement will be recorded on their consumer credit file until it has been paid. or words to that effect. works for me everytime but don't expect a call back for next years service.

 

[easyt]

As a customer I prefer to have a quote giving details of the work. I can see if anything has not been mentioned in the quote or if something that I think should be accounted for is not specified. I can then call the guy and ask ' does the quote include for this? I need this doing as part of the work, is it included or do you want me to amend the quote'?
I annotate the quote, if happy, to remove any uncertainties. If I am having work done I have a duplicate book that I used on site when working and If I want extra and the guy doesn't do paperwork I do it for him. Detail work and agreed price, sign and date and ask him to countersign and give him the copy. I don't mind paying for work done and saves any hassle if it is written.
When I was working if I passed a site whilst doing other work and saw something extra needed doing I would always give written instruction. If my book wasn't with me I would scribble the request in duplicate on a piece of A4 and cut in half. One for me, one for the ganger. Makes life much easier.

 

[chelsea]

this is how i see it

you don't go into tesco's fill up your trolley go to the counter,refuse to pay then walk out with the goods

i'm the same i go to work to get paid and if the customer does not like the price.basically **** off

why is it that some people refuse to pay for the things that can change your standard of living dramatically, i.e no water or gas but yet think nothing of spunking 700 quid on a flat screen tv or any other gizmos