Tradesman dispute
Discussion
Hello,
I've walked in from work today into a bit of a SNAFU. My retired mum has asked a roofer (recommended by a local supplier), to fit a skylight and he quoted her verbally 'a couple of hundred'. She agreed and he's done most of the work, although there is some remedial work need doing (broken handle).
As he left a couple of days ago, he finally responded to her fourth 'exactly how much' question with £490 and he wants a cheque for the window as well, so he can pay the supplier directly,
She (and I) is obviously really upset about this - £490 is not 'a couple of hundred', so I'd like to know the best way forward - my first thought is to pay the supplier directly for the physical skylight and sending a 'final offer of £250, or I'll see you in court letter' to the roofer.
Am I right to do this, and how best should I go about it? I realise I should have kept a closer eye and made sure there were written quotes in place, but I'd assumed I've was straight up as he was recommended to me by a (good) local company.
Many thanks,
I've walked in from work today into a bit of a SNAFU. My retired mum has asked a roofer (recommended by a local supplier), to fit a skylight and he quoted her verbally 'a couple of hundred'. She agreed and he's done most of the work, although there is some remedial work need doing (broken handle).
As he left a couple of days ago, he finally responded to her fourth 'exactly how much' question with £490 and he wants a cheque for the window as well, so he can pay the supplier directly,
She (and I) is obviously really upset about this - £490 is not 'a couple of hundred', so I'd like to know the best way forward - my first thought is to pay the supplier directly for the physical skylight and sending a 'final offer of £250, or I'll see you in court letter' to the roofer.
Am I right to do this, and how best should I go about it? I realise I should have kept a closer eye and made sure there were written quotes in place, but I'd assumed I've was straight up as he was recommended to me by a (good) local company.
Many thanks,
AlexHerts said:
Your problem for not agreeing a price. He's done the work now pay him and learn!
I agree. He'll quite legitimately say that the "couple of hundred" was an estimate, not a quotation; and the job was "not as straightforward as the estimate allowed for".Next time get an estimate in writing and then written reasons for any hike in the eventual price or better still get a quotation from the start.
LeftmostAardvark said:
Hello,
I've walked in from work today into a bit of a SNAFU. My retired mum has asked a roofer (recommended by a local supplier), to fit a skylight and he quoted her verbally 'a couple of hundred'. She agreed and he's done most of the work, although there is some remedial work need doing (broken handle).
As he left a couple of days ago, he finally responded to her fourth 'exactly how much' question with £490 and he wants a cheque for the window as well, so he can pay the supplier directly,
She (and I) is obviously really upset about this - £490 is not 'a couple of hundred', so I'd like to know the best way forward - my first thought is to pay the supplier directly for the physical skylight and sending a 'final offer of £250, or I'll see you in court letter' to the roofer.
Am I right to do this, and how best should I go about it? I realise I should have kept a closer eye and made sure there were written quotes in place, but I'd assumed I've was straight up as he was recommended to me by a (good) local company.
Many thanks,
I'd just pay him and put it down to your mothers mistake of not getting a written fixed price tbh, you could get other quotes to see if they'd charge the same/similar (how do you know he's overcharged without these anyway) , but it could get messy.I've walked in from work today into a bit of a SNAFU. My retired mum has asked a roofer (recommended by a local supplier), to fit a skylight and he quoted her verbally 'a couple of hundred'. She agreed and he's done most of the work, although there is some remedial work need doing (broken handle).
As he left a couple of days ago, he finally responded to her fourth 'exactly how much' question with £490 and he wants a cheque for the window as well, so he can pay the supplier directly,
She (and I) is obviously really upset about this - £490 is not 'a couple of hundred', so I'd like to know the best way forward - my first thought is to pay the supplier directly for the physical skylight and sending a 'final offer of £250, or I'll see you in court letter' to the roofer.
Am I right to do this, and how best should I go about it? I realise I should have kept a closer eye and made sure there were written quotes in place, but I'd assumed I've was straight up as he was recommended to me by a (good) local company.
Many thanks,
Did your mother agree to go ahead with the roofer either on the phone, or at your mothers house?
If so it would be either a distance contract or an off premises contract.
Unless he got your mother to sign away this right, she would be entitled to a 14 day cooling off period?
Although I'd imagine he would leave you with a hole in the roof!
This is a new reg that came in this July, I learned it the hard way, as the tradesman.
http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/cgi-bin/glos/co...
I think that is the right part.
Although if it was a fair price, and good workmanship I would just pay up.
If so it would be either a distance contract or an off premises contract.
Unless he got your mother to sign away this right, she would be entitled to a 14 day cooling off period?
Although I'd imagine he would leave you with a hole in the roof!
This is a new reg that came in this July, I learned it the hard way, as the tradesman.
http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/cgi-bin/glos/co...
I think that is the right part.
Although if it was a fair price, and good workmanship I would just pay up.
R1 Indy said:
Did your mother agree to go ahead with the roofer either on the phone, or at your mothers house?
If so it would be either a distance contract or an off premises contract.
Unless he got your mother to sign away this right, she would be entitled to a 14 day cooling off period?
Although I'd imagine he would leave you with a hole in the roof!
This is a new reg that came in this July, I learned it the hard way, as the tradesman.
http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/cgi-bin/glos/co...
I think that is the right part.
Although if it was a fair price, and good workmanship I would just pay up.
It was done over the phone initially, she agreed and he turned up a couple of weeks later and did the work. No paperwork of any sort If so it would be either a distance contract or an off premises contract.
Unless he got your mother to sign away this right, she would be entitled to a 14 day cooling off period?
Although I'd imagine he would leave you with a hole in the roof!
This is a new reg that came in this July, I learned it the hard way, as the tradesman.
http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/cgi-bin/glos/co...
I think that is the right part.
Although if it was a fair price, and good workmanship I would just pay up.
Not looking to screw him, but neither am I looking for him to more than double the price. He quoted a couple of hundred, he didn't do anything 'extra', and he batted off repeated requests throughout the work to confirm final price, with 'we're not expensive' and other such phrases (found this out tonight tbh). If I have to suck this up (she can't, not got a very high income), it'll set me back financially as I'm in the middle of a career change, so am pretty skint too.
J18NHS said:
£490 sounds about right, pay the man
I'd of quoted £600 then amended the quote if it was straight forward and charged you £500, that way you feel like you got a good deal and wouldn't be on here trying to fleece the bloke out of cash he's grafted for!
For single skylight, no scaffolding, no ladders, one day work? If it is legit, I'll suppose I'll have to find a way to pay, but I know she would not have gone ahead with it if he'd quoted £490.I'd of quoted £600 then amended the quote if it was straight forward and charged you £500, that way you feel like you got a good deal and wouldn't be on here trying to fleece the bloke out of cash he's grafted for!
Oh well, I'll take the contracting arrangements off her as sensitively as I can going forward.
Breadvan72 said:
The Regulations referred to above do not confer a right to cancel if the goods are made to customer specification or personalised, and do not apply to urgent repairs. It is not clear whether these exceptions apply here, as the OP has only given brief details.
Window was ordered in from supplier, so they probably don't apply. Anyway. It is looking increasingly likely that I'll need to stump the remaining cash up somehow. Thanks for the advice everyone.LeftmostAardvark said:
For single skylight, no scaffolding, no ladders, one day work? If it is legit, I'll suppose I'll have to find a way to pay, but I know she would not have gone ahead with it if he'd quoted £490.
Oh well, I'll take the contracting arrangements off her as sensitively as I can going forward.
Oh, and I realised I wasn't clear - £490 was just for the fitting, the window price was on top of that (about £300).Oh well, I'll take the contracting arrangements off her as sensitively as I can going forward.
I don't know whether the price is over the top or not. You could if you wished use the tradesman's failure to comply with The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 as a lever to negotiate an agreed price.
The Tradesman was supposed to give the customer a notice of the cancellation rights, and isn't supposed to provide services during the cancellation period unless the customer agrees to this by email or in writing.
Relying on the Regs would be a bit two edged, as you would be left with a hole in the roof.
The Tradesman was supposed to give the customer a notice of the cancellation rights, and isn't supposed to provide services during the cancellation period unless the customer agrees to this by email or in writing.
Relying on the Regs would be a bit two edged, as you would be left with a hole in the roof.
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