Leak in customer house.

[Ryooo]

Hi what's the best advice in dealing with a leak in a customers house?

1. Stripped out bathroom suite, installed 1st fix shower pipes in stud wall.
2. Turned water on, cheeked all joints.
3. Show customer completed works. Happy with job and paid me
4. Get a phone call 3 days later saying there is a leak. I get him to discuss over the phone. He idtenifies it as the shower pipes, precisely the speed fit cap I've capped the end off with. Job done. Call me back later to say its not its the soldered elbow at the wall.
5. I arrange to go there a couple days later, call him on the day before no answer. Texts me in the middle night saying he has forgot to leave me a key. Can I come the following day?
6. The following day I get shingles confirmed and decided to take a few day off. He is now not happy.
7. After taking two days off, I make contact. He has now fixed my leak, cracked on with the job because he could not wait and sent me an estimated damage cost of £350.
8. Try to resolve over messages, he lift the water on while property was empty, no one went to house till 2 days after plumbing work was done etc
Now it's getting pretty heated.

To summarise, this is my first unhappy customer. I went self employed in May. I have insurance etc. He wanted the job done cheap as chips. He was plumbing in the kitchen sink to a 1st year level. One of his DIY moments could have caused this.

What is the correct procedure you experienced guys go through when this sort of things happened?

Cheers Ryan

 

[Sharp Point]

Totally agree, no agree button yet and post has to be longer than 5 words.

Yep, I noticed that. If I’m grumpy, I maybe can’t be arsed to type five words. Another thing that needs to be addressed

 

[firemant]

Firstly, a punter wanting a job as cheap as chips is no surprise. I have never gone to a garage and said "fix my car, I don't care what yo bill me" !
Never let the punter dictate terms - to a CAC customer, just say that "I need to charge x amount, and that is my quotation. feel free to look around". don't let their problems become YOUR problem. That said, I would wager that most of us found this aspect tough when starting out.

Secondly, these days one would expect him to have some video evidence of the leak. And perhaps you should have suggested it?

Thirdly, don't leave an alleged leak for 2 days -that is madness, IMO

Fourthly, where did £350 com from? Is that HIS time, or did he get someone else in? And were you supposed to return for further work?

 

[Ryooo]

You offered to go back. Have been polite and he cancelled then got it fixed without giving you the chance to go back?

On the day he called to say there was a leak it was a Friday. I was scheduled to go back on the Tuesday. It was on the Wednesday I cancel.

 

[Ryooo]

You offered to go back. Have been polite and he cancelled then got it fixed without giving you the chance to go back?

Yeah I contacted him last night after last speaking on Wednesday. He said he's fixed it himself but now the showers pipes are too short. I can only imagine cut the soldered elbow off and most likely used compression.

 

[Ryooo]

How's one of his diy moments going to cause one of your soldered joints to leak? It's ok getting defensive because your being pursued for money but at the end of the day it is your fault. You arranged to go back a few days later, in that time did you advise the customer to turn off the water? What was the hold up in going back (prior to shingles diagnosis)? I don't know about others on here, but if I get a call saying I've got a leak, I go that day.

Yeah advised customer to turn off water. His damages are... In his words

Cabinet door £30
Cabinet £30
Gloss £22
Lino £182
Plwood £94

All damage is in kitchen.

 

[Ryooo]

How's one of his diy moments going to cause one of your soldered joints to leak? It's ok getting defensive because your being pursued for money but at the end of the day it is your fault. You arranged to go back a few days later, in that time did you advise the customer to turn off the water? What was the hold up in going back (prior to shingles diagnosis)? I don't know about others on here, but if I get a call saying I've got a leak, I go that day.

I know what you are saying about it being my leak and definitely need to be more proactive in attending. Thanks

 

[Ryooo]

Op said he arranged to go a couple of days later and that's when the customer forgot to leave the key. Why the initial delay? Would you leave a customer a couple days with a leak you've caused?

He was fine, house was empty. It was on a Friday leak discovered, I was scheduled to go back on Tuesday. Water was off

 

[ShaunCorbs]

upto you but you have two choices use your insurance or pay

as its your fault you dont have much to stand on

 

[Ryooo]

That’s the wonderful world of the self employed, put it down to experience and get on with the rest of your jobs.
FWIW, if a customer reports a leak on a job I’ve done or am halfway through, I insist on going to look there and then.. next time though eh

Yeah lesson learned cheers mate

 

[Harvest Fields]

I would want Proof it was my work that was faulty. If it was then fine but if not then no.

 

[Ryooo]

Okay looking like I'm going to havet

Firstly, a punter wanting a job as cheap as chips is no surprise. I have never gone to a garage and said "fix my car, I don't care what yo bill me" !
Never let the punter dictate terms - to a CAC customer, just say that "I need to charge x amount, and that is my quotation. feel free to look around". don't let their problems become YOUR problem. That said, I would wager that most of us found this aspect tough when starting out.

Secondly, these days one would expect him to have some video evidence of the leak. And perhaps you should have suggested it?

Thirdly, don't leave an alleged leak for 2 days -that is madness, IMO

Fourthly, where did £350 com from? Is that HIS time, or did he get someone else in? And were you supposed to return for further work?

Leak was left for 2 days as he never went to the property. Water was turned off until I was scheduled to return.

Yes a bathroom suite and boiler serve.

 

[JKG]

It’s sounding like you are at fault luckily it’s only £350 it could have been a lot worse. We’ve all been there it’s your reputation and pride that takes the biggest blow.
Pay the £350 dust yourself off and move on
Lesson learnt here

 

[Ryooo]

How's one of his diy moments going to cause one of your soldered joints to leak? It's ok getting defensive because your being pursued for money but at the end of the day it is your fault. You arranged to go back a few days later, in that time did you advise the customer to turn off the water? What was the hold up in going back (prior to shingles diagnosis)? I don't know about others on here, but if I get a call saying I've got a leak, I go that day.

Plasterer was in on the F

It’s sounding like you are at fault luckily it’s only £350 it could have been a lot worse. We’ve all been there it’s your reputation and pride that takes the biggest blow.
Pay the £350 dust yourself off and move on
Lesson learnt here

Was is the lesson though, in terms of soldered joints holding then failing a day later. He called my work sub par, but was happy inspecting and happy to pay.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Can I ask why you are all just telling him to roll over? This makes no sense.

 

[Scott_D]

Have you been to have a look at the damage and cause?
Get some pictures for your insurance company etc