Home owner or tennent?!?

[mitchellplumber]

I've just got back from a call out. Broken down Potterton suprima. Got to job, customer showed me boiler. Quick and easy fault find (fan). Ok, told customer, problem and I should be able to get one tomorrow. Customer turns out to be a tennent who could not get hold of his landlord and called me out anyway. He's asked me to contact his landlord in the morning to discuss. I've told him, no problem but if Landlord don't accept the bill caller (tennent) will be responsible for the bill. What do you think? Do I need to ask every customer that calls me if they are the home owner? Bit sneaky if you ask me!

 

[SafeGasInstall]

difficult situation ,just explain to land lord and hopefully he will understand and cover your SUNDAY night call out charge and repair of boiler

 

[dontknowitall]

A tricky one.

Your contract (in good faith) is with the tenant for what you've done so far. They called you out, you responded, they need to pay. They need to phone the landlord about the further work and it's up to them to claim off the landlord for this first job.

In my opinion.

Usually though, these problems are sorted out in the wash with everyone happy in the end!

 

[Halesowen1]

On a Sunday night I would be telling them you have a Call out fee to be paid before going out.

 

[Halesowen1]

A tricky one.

Your contract (in good faith) is with the tenant for what you've done so far. They called you out, you responded, they need to pay. They need to phone the landlord about the further work and it's up to them to claim off the landlord for this first job.

In my opinion.

Usually though, these problems are sorted out in the wash with everyone happy in the end!

Unless of course its Mr Ali the Landlord then you have a chase for anything as his brother will be round the next day to bodge the boiler.

 

[tamz]

On a Sunday night I would be telling them you have a Call out fee to be paid before going out.

This is the best way to deal with stuff like this.

 

[mitchellplumber]

Your right, It probably will be fine and landlord will pay up. Just got my back up a bit that he never explained on the phone he was a tennent, give me the option first. Maybe he tried another plumber first who refused though lol

 

[mitchellplumber]

On a Sunday night I would be telling them you have a Call out fee to be paid before going out.

Good sound advice, think I need to start doing the call out up front thing. I was looking at the mobile payment terminal dooda's for card payments but i'm not so sure its worth the extra cost.

 

[Mbear]

Call out fee plus diagnosis fee. Ie dont tell them what's wrong until u see the colour of his money.

I'd be raging if I told them whats wrong only for the punter to buy a fan and then I lose the uplift and repair charge

 

[Dan]

I would expect it to be in the tenants contract with their landlord that all repairs are to be reported to the landlord and carried out or organised by the landlord, who then pays the bill directly. Even in an emergency you'll find many can still report it at any hour, whether it gets fixed is another thing.

Though whether that is in their contract or not, the tenant has requested your services and is liable to pay the bill themselves if they cannot forward that bill to their landlord for whatever reason. Whether there is a reason or what that reason is, isn't down to you and shouldn't be your problem at all. The customer (ignoring who they are) is the customer, and they called you, so they pay you.

What you might find if the customer is claiming the landlord will pay, is the landlord just refuses to based on the fact they didn't get their own contacts in to fix the issue. Which often they'll make a few quid on themselves.

That's not your problem though the person that called you should be liable.

(Obviously always seek advice from professionals - I'm just a web techie).

 

[mitchellplumber]

That's the thing, I only found out once I had diagnosed it and asked customer if he wanted me to go ahead and get the fan assembly. One of them over my shoulder chaps as well. Only took me 5 mins to diagnose, but I just scraped my van window's drove across town in the Snow! Halesowen1 has the idea though!

 

[Dan]

And no you don't need to ask if they're the home owner first, I'd just make sure they are aware of the call-out costs before going out. I'm guessing the bigger firms get them to sign something at the door before going in so that they're agreeing to the explained costs before work commences. At that stage you'll normally find out if they're saying their landlord would need to read and sign that. And if they sign it themselves - they pay. ???? Would that be a correct assumption?

 

[mitchellplumber]

That's a no bad idea! That wouldn't be hard to write a job sheet up that needs signed by customer. I'm on it! cheers!

 

[kirkgas]

i would see a prob when you present a £150 bill to the landlord whos normal guy would have went out for £25, therefore the landlord wont pay more than £25 (and TBH why should he) best course of action is to get back round there smartish with an invoice made out to the tenant (by name) as they contacted you, let them fight with the landlord, but make it clear they called they pay, no issues, no arguements, no leeway, stand firm, tell them you want paid and they get the cash back from the landlord (they wont get it, NOT your problem)

 

[mitchellplumber]

Update- Ok, was an estate agents. They have there own designated heating engineers. "thank you very much for going out on a Sunday night, Send us your bill for the work done so far and we'll get our own heating engineer to fit the new fan"
Well could of been worse.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

that's a good outcome

 

[secret squirrel]

I have 2 takes on this.

The first as a tradesman: my contract is with the customer who called me out not the landlord, unless, of course he called me. Most definetly underhanded in this case by the customer/tennant, I would have billed them there and then, then explained that if they call out a tradesman they take the responsibilty to pay and then claim the money from the landlord.

Secondly, as a landlord, I would not be impressed by my tennant, if, my tennants called out a tradesman then I would explain to the tradesman that the contract is between You (tradesman) and the tennant, very sorry.

UNLESS: I was away for a week or three and unable to be contacted then special circumstances would apply then I would pick up the bill providing I thought it was reasonable.

I do think it is ridiculous though to have to prove whose responsible for the bill, most people, who actually call a tradesman know they'll have to pay. Tennant in this case is taking the mick...

 

[mitchellplumber]

I totally agree! The fact he let me diagnose the problem before telling me he was a tennant! Never mind, looks like its going to be a simple outcome. (hopefully) Nothing is settled until bill is paid.

 

[Barry98]

i always ask on the phone , "whos responsible for paying is it you property or your landlord . just so i konw which paper work to bring thanks "

 

[mitchellplumber]

i always ask on the phone , "whos responsible for paying is it you property or your landlord . just so i konw which paper work to bring thanks "

Do you ask every customer who phone's you, if the are the home owner?

 

[Barry98]

Do you ask every customer who phone's you, if the are the home owner?

OOOO yes , been stung before never again

 

[mitchellplumber]

I suppose that's one solution.

 

[Barry98]

not as blunt as that may read but i always ask beofre going out, and drop it in tho the conversation when i get there. dont get me wrong i have had the odd beef with some after who have said its not there property its the lanlords , to which i simply have replied so you lied to me ealrier. and remove my parts

 

[Toned.f]

I suppose that's one solution.

Only solution - got to look out for No1, you have already had one tennant withold info that you should have been made aware of.

 

[Barry98]

at the end of the day guys and girls were all in bussines one way or another to make money

work to live not live to work

 

[Halesowen1]

I go for the fun, not money. :freak:

 

[dontknowitall]

Told you it will probably work out okay.

You never know, you might get a few calls from the agents as well for their other properties.