Could I have just parted company with the most aggressive customer ever?

[cr0ft]

Hey all. Just had an interesting experience tonight. Just finished a bath install with tiled bath panel and wrap around tiling today which was very tricky to say the least. The lady of the house texted me to say she loved the work. Whilst I was there she asked me to sort out her leaking fill valve on her WC. We did that today. Unfortunately I got a call from the husband tonight at 7pm. Shouting down the phone at me because the WC wasn't working. Got over there within 20 minutes. Fill valve had just stopped working. Very weird but I replaced it with another one. No charge of course.

On filling the WC again the drop valve has now started leaking. Really looking forward to telling him he needs a new drop valve too, especially as the cistern is siliconed to the wall and the tiles it's stuck to started coming off when I tried to remove it before. I explained that it had been botched and I could replace the drop valve but he would most likely need some new tiles! He then started getting aggressive and explaining that there was nothing wrong with sticking a cistern to the wall with silicon (this cistern had 2x screw holes which were empty) as you cannot drill porcelain tiles. I politely explained you certainly can and I would show him once he had new tiles on the wall. The cistern is stuck tight to the wall so there is no room to get a knife or hacksaw blade behind it to cut the silicon out.

The drop valve is from B&Q and the design is such that I cannot get to the seal to replace it. Another quality product from them!

End result is he has stated he is with-holding payment for the bath install (it took us 3 days as agreed before as it was a nightmare job). I've said he can have the fill valve replacement and part for free I just want my cash for the bath as they have confirmed they are happy with it.

I did offer to come back tomorrow to fix the drop valve whilst I was there but on my way home in the van I suddenly thought why the f*** should I given what an aggressive ***** he was. My acid test was would I have a customer speak to my employees in that way - the answer is certainly no.

The guy just would not let me speak, which would be bad enough on it's own. He was also completely thick as f*** too so trying to explain anything to him was impossible. He is certainly the most rude, aggressive and thick person I have ever met in my life. He was even suggesting that I had damaged the drop valve by being heavy handed with it. I then tried to show him the drop valve and the fill valve and to explain which one we had worked on. I gave up after being interrupted 3 times before I could finish.

At least I managed to get photographs of my bath work whilst I was there in case he does not pay within the 4 days we give customers. I also have a text from them saying how happy they are with the work.

I feel a letter before action coming on, hope I'm wrong.

 

[tamz]

Next time just look at it and tell them you will need to order a part.

Customers are mostly rseholes and the more money they think they have the worse they get.

 

[Whyme]

i hate the good cop bad cop, Found a few times it was the women being nice as pie to me then putting a flea in her vag whipped husbands ear. Knickers too em.

 

[Ermintrude]

Had the tightest one recently. Told him what he needed he then tried to ask for something different and cheaper. Head - wall - band

 

[EPH]

I find a firm grip around the throat tends to calm them down a bit.

 

[Ermintrude]

Had a bricky shouting at me few years ago because I knocked his shoddy work back. I was a suited office tw4t apparently. He shoved point of trowel up my nostril. I promptly pushed him off and puffed my self up like a puffa fish and took on the 3 and 1 squad. They apologised and didn't say owt again. I had to go to office for a camomile tea as I scared myself!

 

[cr0ft]

How do you guys deal with it when you turn the water off and something completely unrelated to what you were working on starts leaking/dripping? Especially when the customer tells you that you've damaged said item lol.

 

[SimonG]

I tell them about it, I tell them I can fix it, I tell them they will have to pay. Paperwork says I dont gaurantee any existing pipe or fittings.

 

[Ermintrude]

Yep same. It's coincidence tough luck ... Read t&c

 

[cr0ft]

Cool. Had the whole you've repaired my toilet and it's in a worse state now than when you arrived spiel. Truthfully I would have happily fitted them in tomorrow to replace the drop valve if he wasn't such a knob. Now they can sort their own toilet out I say.

The irony is the original bathroom fitter cut the main water bonding earth cable running under the old bath as he couldn't be arsed to run it around the bath legs it seems. Yet this guy still thinks the sun shines out of the previous fitter's arse. This is after me fixing his bodged bath too..

 

[tamz]

I tell them about it, I tell them I can fix it, I tell them they will have to pay. Paperwork says I dont gaurantee any existing pipe or fittings.

Same but remember your cooling of period signiture :lol:

 

[cr0ft]

I am actually going to get my T&C's embedded onto my email that goes out with quotes from now on.

 

[jaydebruyne]

The guy sounds like a tw@t!! It was probably his diy job sticking the cistern to the wall with silicone and got defensive on finding out he should stick to being a 'banker' lol

On another note, would any kind fellow give me an example of their t&c's - I've searched the forum and have found nothing in the way of an example???????

 

[cr0ft]

[DLMURL="http://www.dripbusters.co.uk/terms.htm"]Lincoln Plumber & Electrician - Dripbusters Ltd - Terms Of Business[/DLMURL] these usually serve me very well. Problem is customers don't bother to read them as tonight showed. There is a company out there that likes them so much that they even say Dripbusters Ltd will respond to any warranty appointments as soon as possible

 

[townfanjon]

I feel for you pal, we have all met these types of people , I hate them, absolutely hate them.

 

[cr0ft]

The guy sounds like a tw@t!! It was probably his diy job sticking the cistern to the wall with silicone and got defensive on finding out he should stick to being a 'banker' lol

On another note, would any kind fellow give me an example of their t&c's - I've searched the forum and have found nothing in the way of an example???????

Oh no. He spent ages telling me how he has worked with valves in his work for 30 years now. I felt like saying well why didn't you fix it yourself you tw*t.

 

[jaydebruyne]

[DLMURL="http://www.dripbusters.co.uk/terms.htm"]Lincoln Plumber & Electrician - Dripbusters Ltd - Terms Of Business[/DLMURL] these usually serve me very well. Problem is customers don't bother to read them as tonight showed. There is a company out there that likes them so much that they even say Dripbusters Ltd will respond to any warranty appointments as soon as possible

Great, cheers cr0ft

 

[cr0ft]

I feel for you pal, we have all met these types of people , I hate them, absolutely hate them.

I feel a bit heartless in a way because his missus was really nice and they don't have a working toilet now. But I still am not going to be spoken to like that by anyone.

 

[jaydebruyne]

Oh no. He spent ages telling me how he has worked with valves in his work for 30 years now. I felt like saying well why didn't you fix it yourself you tw*t.

Agreed. I feel sorry for his mrs, poor cow

 

[townfanjon]

. But I still am not going to be spoken to like that by anyone.

Exactly !!!

 

[cr0ft]

Cheers all! Feeling suitably perked up now! Cheers for all the support.

 

[townfanjon]

This reminds me of a 'do' I had with an a#rse hole persistently blocking of my late mums drive in the summer.
He was one of the 'I am right , you are wrong , end off !! brigade.
Big mistake winding me up , I will leave it a bit longer ,but it have already decided that his condensate pipe might block up.

 

[SimonG]

I feel a bit heartless in a way because his missus was really nice and they don't have a working toilet now. But I still am not going to be spoken to like that by anyone.

If he has a bucket and a tap then he has a working toilet. Tell him if he wants sympathy then its between **** and syphilis in the dictionary. I have no time for people like that.

 

[Ray Stafford]

Tell him if he wants sympathy then its between **** and syphilis in the dictionary.

My favourite saying! Apart from "no one ever drowned in sweat"

 

[Whyme]

Haha bloody hell ray glad i'm not working in your branch.

 

[EPH]

This reminds me of a 'do' I had with an a#rse hole persistently blocking of my late mums drive in the summer.
He was one of the 'I am right , you are wrong , end off !! brigade.
Big mistake winding me up , I will leave it a bit longer ,but it have already decided that his condensate pipe might block up.

Stop tap off, fill chamber with post mix, sprinkle with water.

 

[Best]

The husband told you nothing wrong with silicone sticking a cistern to the wall? A tiny blob of silicone at top of cistern probably fine, but not a lot. You should have told him that's a brilliant idea - no movement for the cistern when the pan starts trying to pull away when the floor moves a little - especially new screed or any wooden floors. Then the cistern someday splits wide open & floods his house. He's an idiot & I would remind him if he didn't get his wages he also wouldn't like it.

 

[AWheating]

This reminds me of a 'do' I had with an a#rse hole persistently blocking of my late mums drive in the summer.
He was one of the 'I am right , you are wrong , end off !! brigade.
Big mistake winding me up , I will leave it a bit longer ,but it have already decided that his condensate pipe might block up.

just get two cars(vans, skips and pallets of bricks will also do) park them 4" away from the front and rear of his car and go on holiday for a week or two.

 

[Toxic Ted]

This reminds me of a 'do' I had with an a#rse hole persistently blocking of my late mums drive in the summer.
He was one of the 'I am right , you are wrong , end off !! brigade.
Big mistake winding me up , I will leave it a bit longer ,but it have already decided that his condensate pipe might block up.

Expanding foam up the exhaust pipe using an extension so it is far enough up the pipe not to be seen from the outside. At least when the garage does eventually find it it will be a new pipe as well.

 

[Toxic Ted]

Stop tap off, fill chamber with post mix, sprinkle with water.

You're forgetting the two tins expanding foam with the post mix and cover.......it'll get his attention when he hits it with the chisel.

 

[Millsy 82]

You're forgetting the two tins expanding foam with the post mix and cover.......it'll get his attention when he hits it with the chisel.

Your an evil man! Lol

 

[oz-plumber]

I'm liking this post more and more.Retribution - my middle name.Don't get mad - get even!!

 

[cr0ft]

As predictable as the sun rising this one is. Got an email back from them tonight. Despite us having 2 appointments to agree the exact design in detail and it being detailed on the quote as a follows: -

Replace existing bath with new bath supplied by us.
New bath to be installed with front edge in same position as existing bath.
Gap round back and left hand side of bath to be boxed and tiled.
Tiled removable bath panel to be installed on front of bath.

Bearing in mind we have a text from the customer the evening she got home to see the bath installation which reads: -

"Hi Keiran. Will ring you once Dave's (husband) been home. I love it. Like a hotel bathroom. Thanks so much. Speak soon."

The gap was caused by them buying an odd sized 1730x700mm B&Q bath and putting it in an alcove. We fitted a 1650x700 bath and fitted horizontal tiles and trim around the back and opposite side from the shower to fill the gaps. The customer is now complaining that the trim holds a bit of water after showering and they want us to remove the tiles/trim and raise the tiles up to sit level with the top of the trim. I don't think they understand entirely how tile trim works, i.e. it covers the cut edges. I've suggested using a squeegee like most of our customers do in shower areas.

I've told them if they believe this is a genuine cause for complaint that we should get an independent chartered surveyor in to assess our installation as I do not believe they are being reasonable any more. We will then make good any issues they pick up on. Other than that we still expect to be paid within 4 days or we will send out a letter before action. Does that sound reasonable? We are currently owed £964.32p .

 

[jase158]

why didnt you get a 1700 x 700mm bath?

I would approach this a lot differently but then I am a mug and would get walked over like a dirty old rug left out in the garden!!

My advice is go and see him, chat about the issue and explain why it is like this!! usually helps for me!!

 

[newcastle phill]

I'm liking this post more and more.Retribution - my middle name.Don't get mad - get even!!

Yes but your from a land that still sells
'Start ya b'stard'