Please help - have i been ripped off?

[quality]

The repair is not correct

 

[Welder]

The repair is not correct

Yeh !

 

[rpm]

Thanks for your comments. The original plumbing company sent someone back today, but they sent a different plumber. I'm told the part changed back in December was called a 'Pressure Reducing Valve' (see image attached). I explained to today's plumber that I was charged £500, and he pulled a face ie) wide eyes, look of shock! I laughed, and told him I also pulled the same face when I was charged £500. He then looked a bit awkward, and tried to suggest the first plumber changed another part as well (although he couldn't tell me what), but that's not what I remember being told back in December. In December, surprised at the cost, I requested a breakdown of costs, and a receipt, but nothing was emailed to me. Today I again asked for the breakdown, but I'm now being told by the office manager that the company has just 'changed owners' and they have no invoices.

Search of companies house records might reveal if there is any truth in that.

 

[missfrances]

Yes, I'm a lady, a landlady. But before you decide I must be evil, with a giant property empire, I only moved out of our house when a problem neighbour moved in next door, and caused chaos. Without going into too much detail, we had to move out, and quickly! Anyway, it means keeping track of the work done by tradepeople is that bit harder, although I always try to do as much research as I can. The plumbing company in question are on trustatrader.com, with 458 reviews and an average score of 4.92. I trusted them and what they told me. I also got another opinion before I used them. RPM - thank you - I plan to look at the companies house records to check out the mysterious change of ownership story. Will post some better photos tomorrow.

 

[Welder]

Yes, I'm a lady, a landlady. But ... I must be evil, with a giant property empire...

We'll believe you this time

The more information we have the more we can help you. You will find that most here hate idiots (plenty on both sides of the cheque book) who would bring our industry into disrepute or gratuitously knock what we do and how we do it. So, help us help you and you'll win in all manner of ways

There is also a section on this site where you can post a job for someone on here to price it for you. The only caveat to those seeking to work for you is that personally I'd look at what they have posted. You will soon be able to determine their ethos and values.

 

[Ric2013]

If you have no interest in Plumbing problems that is fine you pay a professional to come & make them go away, unfortunately what you can't then do is complain about a poorly done / overcharged jobs as you have no idea what was actually done & paid for.

But if the OP asked for a breakdown of costs and hasn't had it, that is not her fault. To use an analogy, if I get my van repaired and don't understand what has been changed, it would seem reasonable to me to have a brief description of the work carried out even if I am not personally able to understand that description.

 

[Rob Foster]

But if the OP asked for a breakdown of costs and hasn't had it, that is not her fault. To use an analogy, if I get my van repaired and don't understand what has been changed, it would seem reasonable to me to have a brief description of the work carried out even if I am not personally able to understand that description.

great point Ric one which has been missed, so by not being provided with one the op might think more has been done than in reality ....it is a factor of modern society to leave out the detail, but as you state v. necessary ....regards Rob Foster
aka centralheatking

 

[Welder]

great point Ric one which has been missed,

Not by all Rob. This is why I have asked for more images.

Conjecture is pointless so I want as much fact as can be mustered notwithstanding we cannot see the job.

Only by seeing exactly what has been done (if that is possible) can one determine whether anyone is potentially unreasonably or over charged.

 

[chris watkins]

But if the OP asked for a breakdown of costs and hasn't had it, that is not her fault. To use an analogy, if I get my van repaired and don't understand what has been changed, it would seem reasonable to me to have a brief description of the work carried out even if I am not personally able to understand that description.

I would agree you have every right to receive a receipt which details the work carried out, most of us do that as a matter of course.
More to the point would you book your van in for repair without asking what was likely wrong & the likely costs? Again my repairer calls me with an update on what is required to seek my agreement before carrying out the work.

Maybe I am being a bit disingenuous to Vic but given that the post began with talk about a gas boiler not working, when the original problem was with an un-vented cylinder & it ended with -

So my second question is, can I make the plumber come back again and fix it? Thank you. Vic

I hope you & she can understand my scepticism which is born out of Landlords/ladies not wishing to take an interest in their properties or tenants, or at least only when a large bill arrives.

And yes the work carried out is of a poor standard, existing nut left on pipe, wrong valve installed (IMHO) & installation defects not corrected etc. If they spent a bit more time (& in some cases money) in the first place finding a quality repair company who had the G3 we would all be the happier.
"caveat emptor"

Perhaps the more important point is that the cowboys would not be getting our work!!!!

 

[Ric2013]

You'll see from my thread in 'heating engineers wanted' that finding good tradesmen is difficult. Often I find recommendations tend to find you morally decent people who are cheap, but not necessarily any good at what they do.

 

[Welder]

Perhaps the more important point is that the cowboys would not be getting our work!!!!

Your point is well made Chris. However I'm not yet convinced that a 'cheap job' was sought. Truth is, you & I will never know. However what we can be sure of is demonstrating, via our supportive actions on here, that our trade is essentially honest and it's worth cultivating a relationship based on mutual trust with 'your' plumber.

 

[Deleted member 32524]

Not £200 then?!

No chance

 

[missfrances]

Thanks for all your feedback. I've taken some more photos today. It was a bit tricky to take decent snaps, as the boiler & water tank are situated inside a cupboard, with lots of pipework, and the cupboard is in a small utility room. Anyway, hopefully these images will help in some way. Will split over a few posts, so I don't crash the system ...

 

[missfrances]

new pressure relief valve ..

 

[Ric2013]

That silver braided hose coming out of the bottom of the valve goes where?

 

[Welder]

Miss F. Can you possibly get a shot of what the flexible connector connects 'to' behind the red pressure vessel please anlong with the rest of the pipe it connects into? Sorry, but it's rather important as you are renting out.

 

[missfrances]

I will ask my tenant Tom to take a snap behind the red vessel, as I didn't check this myself earlier. Sorry, there's a lot of pipework in the cupboard, so it was hard to capture everything.

 

[missfrances]

Here are a few other pics I took earlier, but I'll try to get the one you need from my tenant Tom later ...

 

[Welder]

I will ask my tenant Tom to take a snap behind the red vessel, as I didn't check this myself earlier. Sorry, there's a lot of pipework in the cupboard, so it was hard to capture everything.

Ask him to put the flash on too please. We're nearly there

 

[missfrances]

Will do! By the way, I can assure you (and Chris) I didn't want a 'cheap' job. I just wanted a good, honest job. Our house is lovely. Its our home, and we take great care of it.

 

[Welder]

Will do! By the way, I can assure you (and Chris) I didn't want a 'cheap' job. I just wanted a good, honest job. Our house is lovely. Its our home, and we take great care of it.

Fact is, we are all learning. We who try to help, get sick to death of people who complain that they get a poor job when they refused to pay to have it done properly. Personally I do not think of you and your issues in that light. As mentioned, we're all going to learn.

 

[chris watkins]

Will do! By the way, I can assure you (and Chris) I didn't want a 'cheap' job. I just wanted a good, honest job. Our house is lovely. Its our home, and we take great care of it.

I wasn't suggesting you were Vic (said some).

I think we have seen enough to be able to say you need to find another good company what understands unvented systems & has their Part G3 /un-vented ticket.
There are a number of installation faults that need attention & the cylinder need to be serviced, so forget the first company, you paid over the odds for poor work & I assume they did not advise you on the existing faults.
Start afresh & put it down to experience.

3 port valve installed with no signs of the additional 2 port required. No signs that the expansion vessel was touched etc etc.

 

[missfrances]

Chris - I have found another plumber, this time recommended to me, but he's not available until Thursday this week. I'm meeting him at my property midday on Thursday.

The original plumbers did not advise on any existing faults, infact they haven't even given me any paperwork! Yesterday they were trying to tell me they also changed a boiler 'fan' in December, but today they say they didn't. The story keeps changing. I've requested a breakdown from them 3 times now.

I posted on here originally as I was concerned I'd been ripped off, and wanted some advise. Since then there's been some suggestion that the (overcharged) valve installed has been fitted wrongly, which is worrying! I've continued posting as I thought it would be wise to get a second opinion.

 

[chris watkins]

Chris - I have found another plumber, this time recommended to me, but he's not available until Thursday this week. I'm meeting him at my property midday on Thursday.

The original plumbers did not advise on any existing faults, infact they haven't even given me any paperwork! Yesterday they were trying to tell me they also changed a boiler 'fan' in December, but today they say they didn't. The story keeps changing. I've requested a breakdown from them 3 times now.

I posted on here originally as I was concerned I'd been ripped off, and wanted some advise. Since then there's been some suggestion that the (overcharged) valve installed has been fitted wrongly, which is worrying! I've continued posting as I thought it would be wise to get a second opinion.

So let them do there stuff, you are more clued up now so see what they say, get costs etc.
Although I am still unsure is it the boiler or the cylinder that isn't working now?

 

[Rob Foster]

Fact is, we are all learning. We who try to help, get sick to death of people who complain that they get a poor job when they refused to pay to have it done properly. Personally I do not think of you and your issues in that light. As mentioned, we're all going to learn.

I am still in chking

 

[Rob Foster]

Chris - I have found another plumber, this time recommended to me, but he's not available until Thursday this week. I'm meeting him at my property midday on Thursday.

The original plumbers did not advise on any existing faults, infact they haven't even given me any paperwork! Yesterday they were trying to tell me they also changed a boiler 'fan' in December, but today they say they didn't. The story keeps changing. I've requested a breakdown from them 3 times now.

I posted on here originally as I was concerned I'd been ripped off, and wanted some advise. Since then there's been some suggestion that the (overcharged) valve installed has been fitted wrongly, which is worrying! I've continued posting as I thought it would be wise to get a second opinion.

ok ...can you scan and post the invoices please on here I/we will look at them ..Rob Foster
aka centralheatking so maybe you paid...cash ! with no record
please advise

 

[missfrances]

I did not pay cash! I paid by card, over the phone. I have a record on my bank statement of the payment made for £498 to the company. I requested the plumbers email me the paperwork on that day, including a breakdown, as I was shocked by the price, but they never did, and now they're saying they don't have any invoices because of a change of ownership of the business! Yesterday they agreed to email me a breakdown, but I'm still waiting for it. I think I could be waiting a long time! As for the next plumber, who I'm meeting on Thursday, happy to post his advice.

 

[Welder]

I did not pay cash! I paid by card, over the phone. I have a record on my bank statement of the payment made for £498 to the company. I requested the plumbers email me the paperwork on that day, including a breakdown, as I was shocked by the price, but they never did, and now they're saying they don't have any invoices because of a change of ownership of the business! Yesterday they agreed to email me a breakdown, but I'm still waiting for it. I think I could be waiting a long time! As for the next plumber, who I'm meeting on Thursday, happy to post his advice.

TBH, I do not understand why you are even entering into this type of discussion. It's both annoying and distracting so rise above it.

If you want chapter and verse about what is wrong and, most importantly, how to fix it just post what has been asked for please. We will then set you right with something you can action rather than pontificate about.

Sorry to be rude but I've not got time to waste. Your choice.

 

[Rob Foster]

I did not pay cash! I paid by card, over the phone. I have a record on my bank statement of the payment made for £498 to the company. I requested the plumbers email me the paperwork on that day, including a breakdown, as I was shocked by the price, but they never did, and now they're saying they don't have any invoices because of a change of ownership of the business! Yesterday they agreed to email me a breakdown, but I'm still waiting for it. I think I could be waiting a long time! As for the next plumber, who I'm meeting on Thursday, happy to post his advice.

ok MissF... basically there is no paper trail on this one so far, no
recipts for the work carried out
and it might seem no records of whom helped you ...surely you took their GSF number and telephone etc ...centrakheatking

 

[Rob Foster]

TBH, I do not understand why you are even entering into this type of discussion. It's both annoying and distracting so rise above it.

If you want chapter and verse about what is wrong and, most importantly, how to fix it just post what has been asked for please. We will then set you right with something you can action rather than pontificate about.

Sorry to be rude but I've not got time to waste. Your choice.

I agree YD. we are wasting our time in a wally ...I am out ...but will watch. chking

 

[Rob Foster]

TBH, I do not understand why you are even entering into this type of discussion. It's both annoying and distracting so rise above it.

If you want chapter and verse about what is wrong and, most importantly, how to fix it just post what has been asked for please. We will then set you right with something you can action rather than pontificate about.

Sorry to be rude but I've not got time to waste. Your choice.

I agree YD. we are wasting our time in a wally ...I am out ...but will watch. chking

 

[Rob Foster]

I agree YD. we are wasting our time in a wally ...I am out ...but will watch. chking

oops posted 3x sorry maybe I was getting bored chking
lets get on with the next real problems hey.

 

[missfrances]

Thanks Yorkshire Dave. I've been trying to rise above it! Getting a little upset. I visited the house today just to take some better images of the pipework, and I've now asked Tom (tenant) to take an extra photo behind the red cylinder. I'll have to wait for him to get back to me.

 

[Rob Foster]

Thanks Yorkshire Dave. I've been trying to rise above it! Getting a little upset. I visited the house today just to take some better images of the pipework, and I've now asked Tom (tenant) to take an extra photo behind the red cylinder. I'll have to wait for him to get back to me.

all yours Y D

 

[Welder]

ok MissF... basically there is no paper trail on this one so far, no
recipts for the work carried out
and it might seem no records of whom helped you ...surely you took their GSF number and telephone etc ...centrakheatking

People just don't do that Rob. We all want to believe we've got a 'good un' and there's no need to worry