You know the cloth bags taps sometimes come in?

[REDSAW]

thought it cost a tenner cancelling a cheque?

stuff some carrier bags in it and tell her you had a whip round for her!!.

 

[on31ll]

Give it to the mrs put her ***** in ? Aslong as te bag is big enough !

 

[Keefy]

If you'd known she was going to pull the 'I'm not paying you' trick you could have put a house brick in it to save you knocking on the door.

 

[stani]

I walked off with one (forgot to ask, handy for storing loose bits) for a customer-bought tap I just fitted. She phoned to ask if I had acidentally take it with me. I told her I did and that I'd drop it round monday. Was too busy and forgot and so dropped it round tuesday. She phoned to say that because I hadn't dropped it round when said she had cancelled the cheque for the job.

Has she paid up yet or are you still having to wait?

 

[CES]

Of course you will be adding bank charges to your invoice, for administration costs? I would, the cheeky git!

 

[kay-jay]

Don't forget to invoice for
'return of refuse on request'

 

[Leo21]

Don't forget to invoice for
'return of refuse on request'

Cracking idea, you know you want to.

 

[kozak1968]

I keep my satnav in a Franke tap bag..... luuuuvely

 

[stevetheplumber]

i had a women ask how much of her electric i was going to take home as i had the spare battery of my drill plugged in all day

 

[Leo21]

I had a council tenant ask me to pay for the leccy in the meter for my vac, I was servicing her boiler.

 

[Mike Jackson]

I've had HA tenants ask me to pay for the gas I've used servicing the boiler in the past.

 

[peteheat]

Everyone learn from this, one of my terms and conditions is;

"Remove all rubbish and excess materials (for big jobs) as works progress (for small jobs) on completion of the works".

Can't remember the exact reason think some barsteward claimed we took the scrap copper (which I did), got around that one by saying I had allowed for the scrap in the price.

 

[Leo21]

I don't think any t & c,s will account for complete twonks like this.

 

[armyash]

LOL reading this thread! Some people are unbelieveable. I have only been at it 6 months and haven't come across anyone as bad as you guys have yet. Most customers I have experienced have been fine, I get a few tips which always puts a smile on my face, I'm still fairly slow at what I do but i'm always super polite and helpful. One old guy even gave £10 on Wednesday then came and put my ladders on the van for me haha, I couldn't get him not to!.

Customers standing and watching me work does my head in as I am still inexperienced so I don't want them to see me do something wrong or watch me trying to figure out what bend would be best lol. (if they leave me to get on with it I know any mistakes can be put right and I won't be flapping).

When putting in a new boiler and the customers constantly moaning they are cold can be annoying though. What do they expect with no central heating? Go and put a jumper on!

Working for a company means if there is any bad customers I might get an ear bashing but the manager can deal with things and I can just be yes sir no sir. Being self employed and customers refusing to pay must be tough going, I'm sure you all get angry if it happens but there's not much you can do as you can't risk your reputations, I know that I would want to put a brick through each of their windows or throw paint all over their car haha.

 

[armyash]

Can't see the edit button, but I do notice customers watching me plug stuff in and they sometimes look scared as if their bills are going to be horrendous. I don't think they realise some tools require electric. Unfortunately I don't have enough room in my Connect for a generator!

 

[emergencyman]

I think that its discussing and unbelievable that such a thing should happen. First of all you STEAL her tap bag. And when you get caught she is kind enough to give you the option to return it straight away without her calling the police to have you arrested for THEFT. You abuse this kind offer and still fail to return the stolen tap bag. Did you steal anything while you were there ?After all this you still honestly expect her to pay?

 

[mutley racers]

i think that its discussing and unbelievable that such a thing should happen. First of all you steal her tap bag. And when you get caught she is kind enough to give you the option to return it straight away without her calling the police to have you arrested for theft. You abuse this kind offer and still fail to return the stolen tap bag. Did you steal anything while you were there ?after all this you still honestly expect her to pay?

hilarious

 

[peteheat]

I think that its discussing and unbelievable that such a thing should happen. First of all you STEAL her tap bag. And when you get caught she is kind enough to give you the option to return it straight away without her calling the police to have you arrested for THEFT. You abuse this kind offer and still fail to return the stolen tap bag. Did you steal anything while you were there ?After all this you still honestly expect her to pay?

OK hilarious it may appear to some maybe even most people here but emergencyman is right.

These small issues are often a matter of customers perception or poor communication between client and contractor.

When I replace a part I leave it beside the appliance and when tidying up ask the customer do they want me to dispose of it or do they want to keep it, a simple question the old part is theirs the vast majority are pleased to see it gone but there have been a small minority who say leave it.

I had a Gent ring me asking why I had taken the old ignitor from his pellet stove, I was able to answer that I had asked his wife if she wanted me to dispose of it his reply was that he wanted to check if it had indeed been broken or faulty, without laughing I offered him the waste bag out of the van so he could check if every component was faulty for me.

Ask the customer, we can't read their minds, also make sure you apologise when talking to this particular Lady explaining that to you it was rubbish and you wanted to leave the work area clean and tidy.

Try to make a positive out of what at the moment is very much a negative.

 

[SimonG]

OK hilarious it may appear to some maybe even most people here but emergencyman is right.

These small issues are often a matter of customers perception or poor communication between client and contractor.

When I replace a part I leave it beside the appliance and when tidying up ask the customer do they want me to dispose of it or do they want to keep it, a simple question the old part is theirs the vast majority are pleased to see it gone but there have been a small minority who say leave it.

I had a Gent ring me asking why I had taken the old ignitor from his pellet stove, I was able to answer that I had asked his wife if she wanted me to dispose of it his reply was that he wanted to check if it had indeed been broken or faulty, without laughing I offered him the waste bag out of the van so he could check if every component was faulty for me.

Ask the customer, we can't read their minds, also make sure you apologise when talking to this particular Lady explaining that to you it was rubbish and you wanted to leave the work area clean and tidy.

Try to make a positive out of what at the moment is very much a negative.

Same here, I always leave the old part behind, unless the cust wants me to get shot of it.

 

[Keefy]

You live and learn I suppose. I aways ask the customer if they want to keep the 'rubbish' myself but I think the customer in question has gone way over the top here. Whether or not she's in the right to with-hold payment because of what's happened I'm not sure but maybe it would be best to put this down to experience and not upset the woman any further, sounds like she could absolutely ruin his reputation if he does.

 

[zeebeedee]

Take a **** in it and hand it back!

 

[Mike Jackson]

Can't see the edit button, but I do notice customers watching me plug stuff in and they sometimes look scared as if their bills are going to be horrendous. I don't think they realise some tools require electric. Unfortunately I don't have enough room in my Connect for a generator!

You need a Land Rover. My 130 has got a 3 Kw engine mounted generator.

 

[Guest123]

You need a Land Rover. My 130 has got a 3 Kw engine mounted generator.

Can we please have ONE thread on the forum without the Landy brigade jumping in and telling us how wonderful their hallowed machines are!! It's more bloody tedius than hearing about 1966.:nono:

 

[Destroyer2813]

Should be instant infraction cor em even if they are mods

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Can we please have ONE thread on the forum without the Landy brigade jumping in and telling us how wonderful their hallowed machines are!! It's more bloody tedius than hearing about 1966.:nono:

no you cant

 

[peteheat]

You live and learn I suppose. I aways ask the customer if they want to keep the 'rubbish' myself but I think the customer in question has gone way over the top here. Whether or not she's in the right to with-hold payment because of what's happened I'm not sure but maybe it would be best to put this down to experience and not upset the woman any further, sounds like she could absolutely ruin his reputation if he does.

Maybe she hasn't gone over the top, she had one weapon to use to have her property returned, it doesn't matter what value as far as she is concerned the bag was hers.

Also to use that one weapon she had very limited time, she could not let that cheque clear, probably a smart woman who knows reporting what she sees as a theft may not be taken seriously by the police.

Sometimes we have to think like the customer not so hard to do because we are all consumers ourselves.

 

[Whl4852]

I had to drain down a CWSC a few weeks ago, the customer made me save all the water. Fair enough it's 2013 and a vital commodity.

Except for the fact I had to lug all the buckets back into the attic and refill when I'd finished. Some people have nothing else to do in my opinion.

 

[Keefy]

I had to drain down a CWSC a few weeks ago, the customer made me save all the water. Fair enough it's 2013 and a vital commodity.

Except for the fact I had to lug all the buckets back into the attic and refill when I'd finished. Some people have nothing else to do in my opinion.

Tell me you're kidding.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

I had to drain down a CWSC a few weeks ago, the customer made me save all the water. Fair enough it's 2013 and a vital commodity.

Except for the fact I had to lug all the buckets back into the attic and refill when I'd finished. Some people have nothing else to do in my opinion.

i would have said that if they wanted the water putting back in the cwst, they would be the best person to do it.

 

[SimonG]

i would have said that if they wanted the water putting back in the cwst, they would be the best person to do it.

That's a bit more diplomatic than my two word answer would have been Steve

 

[Whl4852]

To be honest, I couldn't bring myself to tell her to sod off, she was an old dear. She kept telling me how much water cost and how much we waste it. I just get on with it, anything for an easier life arty:

 

[Keefy]

How did you empty the cistern in the first place?

 

[Whl4852]

How did you empty the cistern in the first place?

Turned the isolator off in the attic, and opened the bath tap. Kept filling buckets because she didn't want the water wasted. Thought she might want it for the garden, but sadly, no

 

[Masood]

i would have said that if they wanted the water putting back in the cwst, they would be the best person to do it.

My thoughts exactly! What a liberty!

 

[Destroyer2813]

I had to drain down a CWSC a few weeks ago, the customer made me save all the water. Fair enough it's 2013 and a vital commodity.

Except for the fact I had to lug all the buckets back into the attic and refill when I'd finished. Some people have nothing else to do in my opinion.

Where you on price or hourly ?