£144 per hour for non emergency plumber

[mangos]

eybic said:

It's a pain but it might be worth getting a new card then they don't have your current card details should they decide to try and put it through again.

I have done this so they luckily can’t take anymore money...

Bit worried they turn up at my doorstep though

[bad company]

akirk said:

https://www.gov.uk/late-commercial-payments-intere...
gov rules - exactly what the penalty comprises I don't know - but there are limits on what you can / can't charge...

a penalty charge is non-vatable
an extra charge for paying later would be vatable

I would suggest that their attempt to charge you a penalty of £80 comes into the first of those, so should not be vatable...

Only relevant business to business:-

‘You can claim interest and debt recovery costs if another business is late paying for goods or a service.’

[Zoon]

Andehh said:

Not naming & shaming intentionally, but it is pertinent to this thread. Looking at their rates....

The only £144 I can see mentioned is for the below? Did they use one of these tools for an hour? I would take extreme care in pointing out the tool they used & how long they used it for. No where I can see does it mention that these rates are billed at a minimum of 1 hour? I would therefore spend some time remembering exactly how long they used it for....

IGM Plumbers said:

http://igm.me.uk/our-rates/

Using sonic listening equipment £144.00 per hour

Using Thermal Image £144.00 per hour

Cat and Genny Trace £144.00 per hour

Tracing water main with gas £192.00 per hour

Drain locator with sonic/gas £144.00 per hour

Then also quote on their home page:

IGM Plumbers said:

http://igm.me.uk/

''GET A QUOTE
Whether you have a burst pipe or an immersion tank problem, IGM plumbers are on-hand to help.

Book a free no obligation quotation.''

....and would therefore tell them you were after a quote for the job, especially seeing as they turned up without the right tools to undertake the work?


finally... THEY CHARGE HOW fkING MUCH!?!? Jebus - I have not seen rates like this outside of Central London for Pimlicio etc

Edited by Andehh on Tuesday 12th June 11:24

Edited by Andehh on Tuesday 12th June 11:25

Looks like he needs to get on the crap numberplate thread https://www.google.co.uk/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0...

[eybic]

mangos said:

eybic said:

It's a pain but it might be worth getting a new card then they don't have your current card details should they decide to try and put it through again.

I have done this so they luckily can’t take anymore money...

Bit worried they turn up at my doorstep though

That would be verging on Harassment which the Police would be interested in, if he does turn up. Politely suggest the he's intimidating you and ask him to leave, if not you will be calling the police.

[bad company]

eybic said:

That would be verging on Harassment which the Police would be interested in, if he does turn up. Politely suggest the he's intimidating you and ask him to leave, if not you will be calling the police.

This.

I strongly suspect that they are bullies and will back down when/if they realise that the op is no pushover.

[dickymint]

bad company said:

eybic said:

That would be verging on Harassment which the Police would be interested in, if he does turn up. Politely suggest the he's intimidating you and ask him to leave, if not you will be calling the police.

This.

I strongly suspect that they are bullies and will back down when/if they realise that the op is no pushover.

As regards backing down - there's every chance they will sell the debt to a debt recovery agency that wont back down.

[2Btoo]

dickymint said:

As regards backing down - there's every chance they will sell the debt to a debt recovery agency that wont back down.

What can the debt recovery agency do that the original company can't? They can't enforce payment unless it's been to court, as I understand it.

[Flibble]

2Btoo said:

dickymint said:

As regards backing down - there's every chance they will sell the debt to a debt recovery agency that wont back down.

What can the debt recovery agency do that the original company can't? They can't enforce payment unless it's been to court, as I understand it.

Exactly, they can threaten all the same guff as the original company, but they can't actually do anything (legal) without a court order. So you wait for them to take you to court and then defend it.

[dickymint]

Flibble said:

2Btoo said:

dickymint said:

As regards backing down - there's every chance they will sell the debt to a debt recovery agency that wont back down.

What can the debt recovery agency do that the original company can't? They can't enforce payment unless it's been to court, as I understand it.

Exactly, they can threaten all the same guff as the original company, but they can't actually do anything (legal) without a court order. So you wait for them to take you to court and then defend it.

Guess I've been watching too much 'The Seriffs Are Coming'

But they are far more aggressive at bullying - for many it's all to easy to cave in.

[Hoofy]

dickymint said:

Flibble said:

2Btoo said:

dickymint said:

As regards backing down - there's every chance they will sell the debt to a debt recovery agency that wont back down.

What can the debt recovery agency do that the original company can't? They can't enforce payment unless it's been to court, as I understand it.

Exactly, they can threaten all the same guff as the original company, but they can't actually do anything (legal) without a court order. So you wait for them to take you to court and then defend it.

Guess I've been watching too much 'The Seriffs Are Coming'

But they are far more aggressive at bullying - for many it's all to easy to cave in.

<insert your own joke about fonts without tails>

[2Btoo]

dickymint said:

But they are far more aggressive at bullying - for many it's all to easy to cave in.

They will be - it's their business and how they make their money. However there are some pretty clear rules about what they are and aren't allowed to do and those rules are the same for any business.

Still not nice though, I grant you.

[Saleen836]

If they sell the debt to a collection agency you just write to them and inform them the debt is in dispute, the DCA then have to legally pass it back to the original company, until such time the debt is no longer in dispute (i.e you admit it and just refuse to pay) the debt can't be legally sold on.

[bad company]

Flibble said:

Exactly, they can threaten all the same guff as the original company, but they can't actually do anything (legal) without a court order. So you wait for them to take you to court and then defend it.

Correct and the chances are that they won’t want to go to Court.

[Andehh]

bad company said:

Flibble said:

Exactly, they can threaten all the same guff as the original company, but they can't actually do anything (legal) without a court order. So you wait for them to take you to court and then defend it.

Correct and the chances are that they won’t want to go to Court.

They'll be loosing interest as we speak! They got some money out of you, they'll shrug it off quickly enough.

[wombleh]

£80 late payment fee?!

I thought you could charge interest on the amount owed and that's it. source

[Ace-T]

We had this as well. A £90 non emergency gas co quote for capping off a removed fireplace gas supply ended up being charged at £450.

The stupid tt that turned up didn't bring any tools, had a van full of booze and went 20 miles to the next city to go to a B&Q and charged us several hours for it.

He also tried to crimp the pipe and not seal it properly. Luckily our decorator at the time stood over the useless fk and made him do it properly.

Utter utter scum. We were just decorating the house, I was ill and in the end I tried to dispute the chargebut got nowhere.

[Andehh]

bad company said:

mangos said:

What’s the worst that can happen with this?

The very worst is that they decide to sue you in the Small Claims Court. That’s possible but very unlikely as they would be likely to lose and even if they won you would not have to pay their costs. The Court is very informal, nothing to be frightened of.

Without going to the Court and getting a (very unlikely) judgment they can’t do much except threaten.

very much this, either that or through Money Claim online. Again, all very informal.

They prepare their evidence pack, pay £120 (ish) and submit it. You then get a copy of it, and a chance to refute it. You put together your pack. Maybe offer to pay them for 30mins for their time as per their call out rate for the <30mins they spent using moisture detector.

Months later it goes in front of a local Judge (or equiv) and it is very Judge Judy like - you say & explain, they say & explain. Judge goes off balance of probabilities/fairness.

In this case here, you showing the charges, the fact they DID NOT use one of these £144/hour devices, but you were charged all the same. No tools (they acknowledged) then they quoted for the boiler (which says is free on their website) AND you paid the call out charge. I cant see them standing a chance.

bad company said:

eybic said:

That would be verging on Harassment which the Police would be interested in, if he does turn up. Politely suggest the he's intimidating you and ask him to leave, if not you will be calling the police.

This.

I strongly suspect that they are bullies and will back down when/if they realise that the op is no pushover.

yep, I would either not open the door, or do so but with a mobile in your hand and offer to call the police at the first sign of any duress.



I'm still of the belief it isn't worth their time. Had this been a boiler replacement & £1000s then yes, but for a couple £100, having already got some money out of you - I doubt it.

Just stay reasonable & factual via emails, including the list I gave you above and wait them out. THEN leave them suitable reviews on Social media!!

Edited by Andehh on Friday 15th June 08:08

[Jag_NE]

I needed an electrician on emergency call out last year and the companies were all about 140 quid per hour, this was the NE of England too. Found an independent guy who was approx 80 after a bit digging around online.

I thought the Poles were taking all the work!

I know if they work ten hours a day they probably get to bill eight and they have various overheads and no sick pay/paid holidays but it must be a very decent living if you have a good reputation and the work keeps coming in!

[silentbrown]

What's a plumber doing trying to diagnose damp in the first place? Absolutely DO NOT go anywhere near the "damp specialists" he's suggested.

See this. https://www.heritage-house.org/damp-and-condensati...

[fastbikes76]

We charge £75 INCLUDING the first hour on site. There after it’s charged in 15min increments at £12.50 per 15min. That is same day call out too. If I get there and it’s something I can’t do as it’s not related to boiler or heating system, we charge a reduced call out instead usual around £35 or so. We are based in the SE as a reference.