Plumbing Protocol

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We have a problem with our Alpha boiler in that the water runs lukewarm rather than hot. I contacted a local plumber via Checkatrade who got on to the Alpha support team who suggested divertor valve/motor/heat exchanger problems. Given that the heat exchanger was only replaced 18 months ago, his diagnosis was motor which he duly fitted.

This cost us £400 including VAT and by his own admission, the problem isn't solved. He still wanted his £400. I can see on one hand that he ordered the part, fitted the part and acted in good faith but ultimately, I wanted a problem diagnosed and fixed and this hasn't happened. But on the other, I might as well have gone on holiday for a weekend with the £400 and returned to the same lukewarm water.

What is the right and fair thing to do here as I genuinely see things from both perspectives?
 
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Unfortunately (for the plumber) he cant charge you if the problem isin't fixed, probably the best he can do now is remove the part he has fitted, put the old one back and either come to some arrangement with you regarding labour (you dont owe him anything) and/or fix your boiler, its up to you how you proceed from there.
 
Give him the chance to come back and put it right ( as above) A week would be reasonable, if he dosent reply to your letter, (keep copy) get a proper Heating Engineer in to put it right.
 
As a home-owner (and not a plumber) I would expect the plumber to fix the problem and only charge me for the actual fix.

So if he first says, in a hypothetical example - I won't use your example, when diagnosing a problem with no heat to radiators that you need a new zone value and replaces it, and then it discoverers later that the real problem is a failed pump, I would expect him to only charge me for the work to supply and fit the pump. He would be within his rights to put my old zone valve back as in this case it is not at fault. He would take a small loss on the zone valve. But perhaps he could use it in another job? Not sure on the legality of this since it wouldn't be "new" for the next home-owner. His time fitting the zone value would be a loss in any event.

NOTE: I realise the above example is fairly trivial and an experienced plumber is likely to know if a zone valve is knackered before replacing it, but you get the point.

But after lots of bad experiences with (bad, by "bad" I mean didn't turn up as agreed several times) plumbers I don't tend to use them (well I do 'virtually' sometimes on here, but you know what I mean)

The analogy I'd use is my local garage mechanic. When he fixes things, he doesn't charge me for replacing perfectly good items. But I have a good relationship with him and have been going to him for years and have given him lots of work.

Maybe that's the (longer term) key to this, build a relationship with a plumber and on occasions like this there won't be issues.

At the end of the day though, the plumber has to make a living but in order to be a success and make money from any career you have to be good at your job. So, on average, the plumber has to have more 'wins' that he does 'losses' to be a success.

I suspect your example is one of the main reasons home-owners fall out with plumbers and vice-versa :(
 
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Always make sure whoever fixes your boiler has a no fix no fee policy (that doesn't mean you don't have to pay him if he correctly diagnosis the fault but you decide not to go ahead with the repair , that is completely different ).
 
Thanks for your reply. I agree with the principle of having a regular guy for work - sadly "plumber" is the only one we don't have a regular for.

I'm aware of the whole "no fix/no fee" thing which is all well and good but we're talking about the real world here and the need for written contracts is surely unrealistic? I'm looking for a practical solution. He's not going to spend another 2hrs taking the old motor back out again.

To me, this is an honour/trust issue and I'm interested in what most expect to be reasonable.

FYI, and call me gullible, I paid him half and told him I was getting a second opinion in order to let the situation breathe. I will contact him after I'd had the second opinion to decide what to do next. I do have the opportunity of leaving bad feedback with checkatrade but I don't want to ruin a reputation unnecessarily.
 
You need to determine the real cause of the problem.
That will then enable you to decide if changing the divertor valve motor was a reasonable action for a competent plumber to take along the path of diagnosis and rectification.
Seeing as it did not cure the problem, I don't understand why he did not investigate further and so minimise the cost by completing the job in one call.
 
I'm aware of the whole "no fix/no fee" thing which is all well and good but we're talking about the real world here and the need for written contracts is surely unrealistic?

who mentioned anything about contracts, I have a no fix no fee policy and all i do is tell customers this, once i fix the boiler i demonstrate it is working and they pay me, on the odd occassion when i have diagnosed and fitted the wromg part (which is rare) i remove the new part fit the correct one and then only charge for the time spent fitting the correct part only.
 
If you called him to replace the diverter valve and he did it for an agreed price then you owe him the money
If you called him in to repair the hot water then you owe him nothing but the option of swapping the parts back over so he can have his valve back.

Not hard to check gas pressures or water passing down the heating to identify if diverter was actually required
 

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