call out fee

[britishgirl]

we recently called out a plumber to look at a faulty immersion heater,he came and stayed 10 minutes and said he couldnt do it and to get an electrican,we did that who said the electrics were fine and we needed a plumber,we used a plumber from within that company

the first plumber has now sent a bill with a call out charge which I expected,but he has added mileage and a charge for telling me he couldnt do the job even though in the end it turned out to be a plumbing job which he never attempted to do.

Am I being unreasonable in expecting to only pay a call out charge?

[shirley]

For me yes if he wanted milage etc that should have been agreed prior to him coming to you. Was it very far from you?

[mickey house]

I wouldn't pay him anything because he didn't do what he should have done. If as an electrician I was called out to a job and I incorrectly told the customer that it was a plumber they needed, when in fact it was an electrical fault which another electrician sorted, then I would frankly feel a little embarrassed for not doing the job properly and for the inconvenience I caused them.

[britishgirl]

Originally Posted by mickey house

I wouldn't pay him anything because he didn't do what he should have done. If as an electrician I was called out to a job and I incorrectly told the customer that it was a plumber they needed, when in fact it was an electrical fault which another electrician sorted, then I would frankly feel a little embarrassed for not doing the job properly and for the inconvenience I caused them.

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That was what I thought but I am prepared to pay a call out fee but I feel the rest of the bill was taking the mickey, excuse me for taking liberties with your name

[mickey house]

Originally Posted by britishgirl

That was what I thought but I am prepared to pay a call out fee but I feel thought the rest of the bill was taking the mickey, excuse me for taking liberties with your name

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You are nicer than most people because the failing of the first plumber caused you the inconvenience and cost of calling an electrician out, and then the further expense of calling a proper plumber out who sorted the fault that the first plumber should have resolved. So I'm assuming you are now paying 3 tradespeople when you should have paid just one?

Entirely up to you what you pay the first plumber, even though my advice is to pay him absolutely zero.

[Mr Tom Morrow]

I agree with MH.

Do the two plumbers come from the same firm?
If so I would speak to the owner for his view

If separate companies then I wouldn’t pay the first Guy.

[britishgirl]

I can see your point because we told him when he came it was tripping the main fuse but that we thought it was the immersion element because it was as least 12 years old,and it seems to be a common thing for the fuse to trip when the immersion is failing,and I do now have to pay an electrican as well

[britishgirl]

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

I agree with MH.

Do the two plumbers come from the same firm?
If so I would speak to the owner for his view

If separate companies then I wouldn’t pay the first Guy.

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seperate companies,I lost faith in the first plumber when the electrican said there was nothing wrong

[pompeyboy]

Was it the immersion heater? There is a bit of a crossover there, although if you know a failing immersion heater can cause a breaker to trip then a half decent plumber should also be aware.

If he had changed the immersion heater and the electrics still tripped he might be accused of making up work that wasn't needed.

I think he should have made clear his call out, mileage and time rates before he set off.

[mickey house]

Originally Posted by pompeyboy

Was it the immersion heater? There is a bit of a crossover there, although if you know a failing immersion heater can cause a breaker to trip then a half decent plumber should also be aware.

If he had changed the immersion heater and the electrics still tripped he might be accused of making up work that wasn't needed.

I think he should have made clear his call out, mileage and time rates before he set off.

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I agree, it can be either at fault, although in most cases it will be the immersion that requires replacing.

When I get a call from a customer regards their oven tripping the breaker, then I ask basic questions like how old is the oven, and do they know how old the cooker circuit is etc. Again being a heater element is involved that can cause the RCD/MCB to trip. If it's an old oven then I will tell the customer that it is more likely that the fault is with the oven and not faulty electrics, but I tell them that I can never of course guarantee that. Some customers honestly expect me to check the cooker circuit for free (seriously). If they still want me to check the electrical circuit, then I make them fully aware of my charges. I have never added mileage onto a bill.

Edit: the plumber could try and ascertain how old the immersion is and give the customer the option of replacing it with no guarantee that will resolve the issue (with giving the customer the cost upfront).