Beat this......

[secret squirrel]

I got called out the other evening at 8.40pm the elderly lady had broken the white cap off of the top of the radiator. I asked whether it was leaking and she didn't know.

I asked her to check and she was in a panic, so, I jumped in my trusted van and rushed round leaving my glass of red, waited for 10 minutes for the door to be answered. In the 10 minutes it took me to drive there was already a 2nd call to my house.

Walked in, no leak, no damage just the white cap which had come off. You'd think that'd be it. NO!

Can you turn the rad on please? (easily done) ooohhh! its too hot. can you turn it down. Have you done it? are you sure? you wouldn't say you've done it and haven't would you. I don't like living here, no one likes me blah blah...

In the back of my mind, I'd already decided she was a nut nut at worst and lonely at best,

Left the her at 9.45pm and entered an argument about payment........ ALL I wanted was £40!!!!! I left with £20 (which I entered a heated debate about) I can't tell you on this forum how annoyed I was (am) and if she was a lot younger I wouldn't have left it but......

As I left she followed me to the van and explained she'd call me back if she wasn't happy...... yeah! good luck with that

[wnjswozo]

you do get them,had old doll years ago,we fitted back boiler,new fire front,
explaining the timeclock ,i might as well explained to the cat ,for the amount of time on the phone,and call backs for "theres a funny noise coming from boiler" youwould,nt beleive it,it got that bad i was thinking of adding her to my "friends and family package with bt!

[andyg0507]

toatally off the subject of plumbing but thought id share mine with you.

when i was conservatorie fitting we'd been out to fit a conservatorie for a family of 'shameless charecters' once the job had been complete we went back in for the cheuqe( normal method of payment) when the bloke came out he asked where are credit card machine was the bloke wanted to pay £8000 on a credit card, when we said we didnt take credit card he hit the roof.

it took us nearly 5 weeks to get the money.

some people live on a different planet sometimes

[P4ULT]

some customers take the p155 big time still at least you had the wine to go home to. i bet you wont be doing that again.

[Puddle]

At least you got paid £20.00
You can refill your wine glass a few times with that
What bugs me the most about jobs for the elderly,is getting rid of the weey smell that sticks in your nostrals

[dontknowitall]

Good nose pick on the way back home usually sorts that out.

[rob jefkins]

I too had a call out for an elderly lady on Boxing day complaining her boiler wasn't working. In good faith I went round there and only had to top the pressure up for boiler to kick in. Checked for leaks, waitede around to see what the pressure was like and no problems. Told her if it dropped again then I would have to investigate further. Only charged her £40 for going round which was fair for boxing day with a stinking hangover.

Then New Years day she calls me at 8.30am. Boiler DHW not very hot, could I have a look? I explained it was new years day at 8.30am and was worse for wear but would kindly pop round later that morning. She agreed as long as there would be no charge as she had already paid me £40 the week before!!! After a heated discussion she said she would report me to trading standards and then slammed the phone down!!!

Some people !! I don't know if it's me going mad or what !!!

[Hugh]

get this alot dude what can we do

[tom_plumb]

I would of stood my ground and made her pay - but then again I'm a meanie

[johnmcginty]

I would have definateley made her pay , this is your living .....what if all you did one week was old ladies ( plumbing work mind )



A little off subject though still about getting payment, especially on emergency work if they say they can't pay now :

Bank transfer
Cash
Check ( don't have to cash it now , I can do it on friday when you get paid, though I still want the check now)
Credit card machine

Now heres the thing , been looking at getting an Iphone that can take payments with some kind of app ? Anyone know about this ?

[fireblade]

I had an old dear had to fit a new thermocuple serviced the boiler went to get paid all the cheuqes in the book had been cut in half a relative had control of his money he said he would go to the post office the next day and ring me to pick up the £40 never phoned but then phoned me in 3 months later telling me he had got a dripping tap I never went back suprise suprise

[stevetheplumber]

I had an old dear had to fit a new thermocuple serviced the boiler went to get paid all the cheuqes in the book had been cut in half a relative had control of his money he said he would go to the post office the next day and ring me to pick up the £40 never phoned but then phoned me in 3 months later telling me he had got a dripping tap I never went back suprise suprise

id have gone back and whilst there cut the thermo couple and left

[Puddle]

id have gone back and whilst there cut the thermo couple and left

With a little note next to it so next plumber not taken in