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Hanna

I was charged £974.74 for a plumber for 1hr 41minutes on Easter Saturday to attend a tap leak and change a 15mm connection of hot feed pipe to the chrome pillar tap of basin.

£165+vat per half hour
£110+VAT emergency call out
£42.19 +VAT for parts and sundries

On the advice of citizens advice I have reported them to trading standards as I feel £900 is extortionate for 1hr41mins.

I would like to know if this is standard charges for plumbing emergencies or have I been ripped off?


Please could anybody let me know as I am having to pay the bill (under dispute) and then try to claim it back. For me to do this, I need to have an idea of how much regular plumbers would charge for this job on an Easter afternoon.

Many many thanks for any help
Hanna
 
It massively excessive, did you agree to those terms before he started?
 
Unfortunately Hanna, self-employed plumbers set their own rates. They vary between regions and generally market forces bring them reasonably level within a certain area. Emergency callouts on Bank Holidays are always going to cost more.

Whereabouts in the country are you?
 
A touch more than I charge but I suppose they made you aware of the cost before hand?
In which case I don't think you have a leg to stand on
 
If you didn't agree to all those charges, then don't pay them all the money and include a letter to them stating that the charges are massively over the top. Keep copy of any letters or other communication. People can charge you what they want even if you didn't agree a price, but courts will want to see the charges are fair and reasonable, so there is a limit to their charging I would think.
 
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It was my tenant who called them out and agreed to the charges. I understand that's the contract however I am trying to see if it's classed as excessive and then if it's worth me trying to take it further?

Thanks
 
The house in in Hounslow, if that makes any odds. I appreciate it being Easter Saturday and an emergency but £974 for an 1hr41 feels like daylight robbery - it was a company that covers the country but obviously uses self employed plumbers.

My my issue is also that I'm sure the actual plumber didn't even get half of that money and it's just the company ripping me and the plumber off?.
 
Of course its excessive.

but if you agreed to it rather than shopping around,
why now start to haggle?
 
Yes its steep, yes it was agreed beforehand. Im not a lawyer and as such what im about to say is not legally binding. But tough. Get it paid and as a landlord you should have a team of good people in place for just this event.
 
your tenants agreed the charges..so end of subject as far as plumbing company is concerned
your issue is with the tenants......they are the ones who have shown total disregard to you and exploited there position....you should of planned ahead for such issues..especially in the location your property is in.....
 
Sounds as though the tenant has rang you prior to calling emergency plumber.
You have given them the go ahead. They called the plumber and have paid the bill.
Now they would like you to cover the costs and you're rightly suprised about the total.
However, the plumbing company imo shouldnt even come into this. What they charge is irrelevent if its already been agreed to.
First mistake was made by yourself for not sorting this out or having something in place
Second mistake was made by your tenant for being stupid enough to agree to their prices. They obviously thought it was a good deal, why don't you?
 
Self managing properties is hard. I have a couple of landlords that I deal with. They know my charges and are happy with them. Obviously they are a lot higher on bank holidays (not in the realms you mentioned by a country mile). The important thing is the landlords know what they will be paying as they have got a team in place in case any situation arises to stop similar accounts to this. As harsh as it sounds I think you have to put it down to experience, pay, and get a team in place I. E. Plumber, electrician etc For any future problems.
 
whos the company that covers uk?
some of us on here work such companies and we may know the actual rate
 
I would have driven down from Bolton and done it for less than half of that :)
Yes it's a silly price, but as stated above, if it was agreed to you're not in a great position.
Also, as stated above, I work for a couple of landlords and they have trades in their contacts who they give regular work to and know they can depend on.
I fired up the central heating and showed the new tenant how to use the controls on Easter Friday for free for a landlord I work for, he gives me plenty of work so if it's a 5-10 minute job and I'm not busy I will look after him as I know I'll be the guy he calls for the bigger jobs.
It does help that the property is in 2 minutes walking distance of my house though ;)
 
Easter sunday ,
call out charge ,
always going to be expensive but reading this thread you have dug your own hole .
 
If your tenant called out the plumber and agreed the charges without your express authorisation, then the contract lies between the tenant and the plumbing company.

As landlord, you are responsible for maintenance, but that does NOT make you contractually liable for agreements entered into by the tenant.
 
I would have driven down from Bolton and done it for less than half of that :)
Yes it's a silly price, but as stated above, if it was agreed to you're not in a great position.
Also, as stated above, I work for a couple of landlords and they have trades in their contacts who they give regular work to and know they can depend on.
I fired up the central heating and showed the new tenant how to use the controls on Easter Friday for free for a landlord I work for, he gives me plenty of work so if it's a 5-10 minute job and I'm not busy I will look after him as I know I'll be the guy he calls for the bigger jobs.
It does help that the property is in 2 minutes walking distance of my house though ;)

Bolton, I'd have driven down from Edinburgh for that price :p
 
If your tenant called out the plumber and agreed the charges without your express authorisation, then the contract lies between the tenant and the plumbing company.

As landlord, you are responsible for maintenance, but that does NOT make you contractually liable for agreements entered into by the tenant.

Ray is spot on as usual. The tenants cannot contract on your behalf so the only ones who can challenge the charges would be the tenants. If they agreed the rates before work started they have no leg to stand on. Yes the charges are exorbitant but when a court examines the reasonableness of such things, the fact that it was an emergency, on a Bank Holiday, and that the charges were agreed will all be taken into account.

My advice to you, as so many others have said, is to recruit a team of tradespeople who you trust, and build a relationship with them whereby you're both treating each other fairly. You could start by posting in here:

[DLMURL="http://www.ukplumbersforums.co.uk/im-looking-plumber-gas-engineer/"]I'm looking for a Plumber or Gas Engineer[/DLMURL]

You'll be well looked after.
 
If your tenant called out the plumber and agreed the charges without your express authorisation, then the contract lies between the tenant and the plumbing company.

As landlord, you are responsible for maintenance, but that does NOT make you contractually liable for agreements entered into by the tenant.
Ray is spot on.
So it is down to the tenant not you.
You only have a problem if you have authorised the tenant to go ahead with the works.
if they did it without your knowledge not your problem.
 
Tenant informs Landlord of escape of water. Landlord chooses not to attend or arrange plumber. Tenant told to arrange repair and contacts emergency plumber. Landlord complains of cost.
The cost is for the service, of which the plumber is but a part and is comparable with others offering 24/7 emergency cover in London.
Take a cup of coffee with solicitor and cost will seem reasonable.
 
It is very high in my eyes. But I'm no where near you so prices will be different.

I can't see how these companies get work with prices like that. I went to a leak yesterday and the lady called an emergency plumber out but they never showed up and she said they charge £60 per half hour! (This was during the daytime) I looked at her stunned and said I think I'm going to raise my prices a lot! When I gave her the bill she thought it was going to be 10x what I charged her and I said you can put an extra nought on if you want! Lol.

To me there are only a couple of things that are an emergency though like a water leak when you can't turn the stop tap off or maybe a leaking cylinder that needs draining. Everything else the water can be turned off even if it is overnight.
 
Look for a link between remnant and plumber.

just throwing it out there
 
It was my tenant who called them out and agreed to the charges. I understand that's the contract however I am trying to see if it's classed as excessive and then if it's worth me trying to take it further?

Thanks
If the tenant agreed to this price then I'm afraid you will struggle to recoup your losses. You probably won't get an accurate charge from people you ask on here as its impossible to quote without seeing the job. I think its probably fair to say its quite steep though.
James.
 
If I attended a property and found tenant is asking for repairs as opposed to landlord, I get onto my high horse and make good my escape. Without the landlord's permission, I won't even get my tools out
 
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