Customer trying to claim against me

[Woolly]

Back in November 2016 I fitted a bathroom suite for a couple then four months later they messaged me to say there was a damp patch on the kitchen ceiling under the bathroom, but stated that it was discovered that it was an old leak, nothing to do with the bathroom I fitted. A month later I received a message to say they believed there was a leak in the bathroom then later that same month messaged me and made reference to the fact that they clean the tiles with vinegar which I am led to believe dissolves grout so I believed this could be the reason for the leak. Three months later they complained about leaking and how it had ruined their kitchen ceiling. We went through my insurance company to claim for the kitchen ceiling to be replaced. Now over a year after the claim for the kitchen ceiling, and two years since the bathroom was fitted, they have sent me a letter with details from another plumbing company saying that everything I did was wrong, it has all been ripped out, and demanding £8,000 to have all my 'poor workmanship' put right. I am going to seek legal advice, but just wondered if anyone had had a similar situation and what the outcome was?

 

[Deleted member 32524]

What exactly was the poor workmanship?

 

[SimonG]

They didn't give you chance to inspect and rectify issues before it was ripped out. They're skating on thin ice.

 

[Woolly]

There was a large list of supposed poor workmanship; tiles fitted incorrectly on walls as used dot and dab technique, grout not fit for purpose, shower tray not stuck down to sub-base, pipework not straight, shower tray not level. All listed by the other company that looked at the work. I have a copy of the email from the company. I may add apart from the fact that dot and dab was used the rest is untrue!

 

[Deleted member 32524]

Seen tiles on with silicone never mind dot and dab! Don't worry too much. If they have had it ripped out and replaced then that is on them. Should have stuck tray down, pipework if on display surely would have been noticed at installation? It has also been so long, with no problems and who knows what's been touched and by who since you did it.

 

[Chuck]

We went through my insurance company to claim for the kitchen ceiling to be replaced. Now over a year after the claim for the kitchen ceiling, and two years since the bathroom was fitted, they have sent me a letter with details from another plumbing company saying that everything I did was wrong, it has all been ripped out, and demanding £8,000 to have all my 'poor workmanship' put right. I am going to seek legal advice, but just wondered if anyone had had a similar situation and what the outcome was?

Don't say anything to them until you have consulted your insurance company and/or solicitor. If they've already made a claim that was settled by the insurance company they may think you're a soft touch, fancy an upgrade, and are going for a second bite at the cherry. Insurance companies are used to dealing with this sort of try-on, which with any luck will be shutdown by the fine-print they'll have attached to the first settlement.

You should probably start digging out the paperwork for the job. Your quotation, their acceptance, your invoice, etc. Cases often hinge on what was claimed / advertised / promised. E.g. did you represent yourself as plumber who could also do a bit of tiling offering "... a modern bathroom" at a competitive price, or did you sell them "... a bathroom of exceptional quality using only the finest quality materials and fittings installed by our team of highly-skilled and experienced specialists"?