Hello! I have been trying to get on the computer to let you know what happened with the plumber on Friday.
They came and 'finished' the job, I was really daring (for me!) and spoke to the man and told him what i wasnt happy about and he just laughed again! He said he had been doing it for 27 years and that he was happy with the work he had done, and that was that. So he asked me for the money and I said he would have to see my boyfriend about the money because he would want to see the work first. The man got a bit funny and said you will have to pay for it (he wanted cash!) I told him that I knew the work had to be paid for but that i was not in the position to pay him on the spot and that my boyfriend would send him a cheque. Although I pointed out lots of things that they had damaged, broken or made a mess off he didnt seem to care. I was very upset when he left!
When my boyfriend came home he was really annoyed about the job the plumber had done. My boyfriend does pipework and things in his job for pumping chemicals and gases and things(?!) and so although he is not a plumber he has a better idea than me of what is acceptable and possible- and he wasn't happy.
So, we both would like to say a huge THANK YOU to you guys who advised me and made me feel that I could stand up to the plumber (although he did ignore me!) and I am really, really grateful for your kindness- it made such a huge difference to how i felt about everything, made me much more positive and happy- THANK YOU.
The question now is what do we do?!
We arent happy with the work and I really dont want the man to come back to our house because he makes me feel very uncomfortable, but we have things that are problems such as the timer on the boiler doesnt work, he said he was fitting a cooker point and it is just a capped-off pipe, he said he would leave plumbing in the bathroom for a towl-rail radiator, and he has left the pipes from the boiler, but not where he said he would. He broke the stop-cock (I know this is an accident and can happen to anyone, often!) and the bathroom carpet is soaked through- when i said about it he said, 'Dont worry about it, I am not worried about it." But he didnt do anythign, he left it and now the carpet is ruined. There are lots of other things damaged, split floor boards (we have exposed wooden floor) and broken skirting board, things that he didnt even bother to mention. There is black grease(?) all up the side of our sofa, the wooden floor which we had stripped, sanded, stained and varnished and was glossy and lovley has been scratched and scrapped with tools and needs to be re-done, and I could go on but I would really really bore you then!
I couldnt wait to have a warm and cosy home and now I am really disappointed. It is warm, and it is our home, but there are so many things to tidy up or fix now!
I am not sure what to do about it? I am guessing that you chaps dont have unhappy customers, or if you did you would listen to them and be understanding- not laugh and leave! So I dont know, do i have to or should I pay him the full amount? Am I within my rights to with-hold some payment and explain to him that we have to have these things rectified? Can I write him a letter with a list of the things that I am unhappy about ? (I really dont want to speak to him, and he doesnt listen to me anywhay!) Am I being silly?! Do you have any advice or suggestions that might help me? This is the first time I have ever had to deal with anything like this and it is very daunting and confusing.
I really should stop writing now! I am sorry for the length of this post- I don go on a bit!
Oh, and ... THANK YOU again for being so great last week!