Emergency call out

[The Samaritan]

From the ASA

"The CAP Code requires that prices in ads include non-optional taxes, duties, fees and charges that apply to all or most buyers. This applies to all advertising and marketing materials, including websites and social media profiles.

Include the VAT when any prospective buyers will pay VAT
If both consumers and businesses are likely to see the ad, and are both able to buy the product(s), you’ll need to quote VAT-inclusive prices."

If you are only involved in business to business sales (ie trade only), you can show prices ex VAT but many (most?) of Pimlico Plumbers' customers are homeowners.

Ironically, on their pricing page, they claim

"Pimlico is the only London based plumbing and building services company that has a clear and transparent pricing system."

Which is clearly BS. Again, from the ASA

"Include a statement of the amount or rate of VAT payable when quoting VAT-exclusive prices
If you can quote VAT-exclusive prices, these still need to be prominently accompanied by the rate or amount of VAT, for example “ex VAT@20%”."

No where on the Pimlico Plumbers webpage does it mention what the rate of VAT is.

Excellent post.

 

[Mottie]

Excellent post.

Anyone ever said that about one of yours?

 

[opps]

Not sure about that but as you know I was referring to the cut and paste by a poster that blatantly failed to include if prices included VAT or not. As you would have seen from my posts, the 160 quid callout did not inc VAT

When I ask for a quote and I decide to go ahead, I always make sure that vat/parts etc are included as years ago I was caught out by a clown that said
"I don't get the VAT it goes to the government." I replied, "fair enough as you did not state the vat before I'll send it to the gov as you are clearly not getting it." Then I asked for evidence for its vAT reg to which it replied, "as you are a nice man...leave the vat." What a f ing crook. Since that time, I prepare myself with questions as no one wants to pay money one did not expect to pay and that is a fact.

I suspect that your (negative) experience was not an isolated one.

As an aside, I am often surprised at how few people do not know that consumer protection laws ONLY apply to private individuals, and not businesses.

As per my signature, a few years ago, I purchased something from Fasthosts. I was not satisfied with the product and asked for a refund under the distance selling act. They refused because I used my self employed "trading as" name on my account sign up. They told me that as I was a business they would not give me the refund that they had previously offered me. As a self employed person, I am not a "business". I did tell them that but couldn't be arzed to chase the refund up.

They are yet another company that only mention the ex-VAT at check out and not earlier. Their "defence" is that private individuals do not use webhosting services or purchase domain names. Which is not patently not true.

 

[The Samaritan]

I suspect that your (negative) experience was not an isolated one.

As an aside, I am often surprised at how few people do not know that consumer protection laws ONLY apply to private individuals, and not businesses.

As per my signature, a few years ago, I purchased something from Fasthosts. I was not satisfied with the product and asked for a refund under the distance selling act. They refused because I used my self employed "trading as" name on my account sign up. They told me that as I was a business they would not give me the refund that they had previously offered me. As a self employed person, I am not a "business". I did tell them that but couldn't be arzed to chase the refund up.

They are yet another company that only mention the ex-VAT at check out and not earlier. Their "defence" is that private individuals do not use webhosting services or purchase domain names. Which is not patently not true.

Thankfully I learned so much from that one experience I've never allowed it to happen again.

I treat every tradesperson a two-faced lying little cheat and therefore on my guard getting estimates/quotes and having the work completed. Only when the job is completed well and prices agreed kept I start to trus them gradually.

Re consumer law, I'm familiar with that and the distance selling law, very handy.

People that try to hide the vAT, I will avoid them at all costs and only use them as a last resort.

Prices need to inc VAT and those that may be able to reclaim, I'm sure they could calculate the difference.

 

[diy_fun_uk]

OT but related. In one of my BTLs the house alarm started sounding late at night, Christmas Eve, great timing! Nothing the tenant was doing would silence it. Long story short, we eventually found someone who'd come out to silence it by cutting the cable. That's exactly what he did, I think tenant said he was there for 10-15 mins tops. Charge was £150. However for me, at 1am on 24/12 it was worth it.

Also OT, in modern house builds, is the stopcock a more modern affair (easier to turn off even if not touched for x years) or still the traditional type?