Curtain rail fell on head

[Goldspoon]

Two of us finished a job last week in a customer's "holiday cottage" - customer not present. Arrived at 9am (after one and half hour drive as is in Welsh hills near Bala) and finally left at 7-15pm, later than expected.

As we left we drew the curtain behind the door we were leaving through (door not usually used but we were given key). The curtain rail fell down - rawplugs just fell out of the plaster wall. Now usually, despite this obviously not being our fault, we would have got the tools back out and fixed it. But due to already being very late (considering the one and a half hour drive home and wives to keep happy) we made the decision, rightly or wrongly, that we should lay the curtain and rail over the sofa and inform the customer. So I did - that night I emailed the customer.

Customer emailed back to say happy with work. Customer's husband disappointed at towel rail and says husband will need to refit it over a couple of hours and "perhaps you should reflect this in the bill".

It would be very easy to "knock a bit off" to smooth things by but on principle it seems unfair. The curtain was obviously not affixed correctly and would have fallen off at some stage on somebody. It might even have fallen off before and been "shoved back" by a cottage user for all we know.

Effectively we are being asked to fund this repair.

What do you guys think?

 

[WoodYouLike]

Deduct £ 10.00 of the bill out of goodwill - and mention that - and close this episode.
Client will be happy because he got something and so you'll have a bigger chance to get recommendations from them.
See it as an investment.

 

[ColJack]

wot no gripfill in the van? a couple of squirts would have done the job..

 

[mattysupra]

wot no gripfill in the van? a couple of squirts would have done the job..

coljack, you must be the mystery gripfill abuser i follow around the west mids! You never used it to glue some stair treads/winders in the other week did you in a new build? Because i ended up going through them! The plaster board saved me tho from dropping into the hall.

 

[Johnmelad502]

Deduct £ 10.00 of the bill out of goodwill - and mention that - and close this episode.
Client will be happy because he got something and so you'll have a bigger chance to get recommendations from them.
See it as an investment.

Agreed.

 

[wilhelm]

10 squid?!!!!

these leeches ,of society, wont be happy unless they get 50. Think of the distress youve caused them.

We are talking a fekkin curtain rail here.arent we.?

ffs.

gotta agree with cojack,

 

[WoodYouLike]

We are talking a fekkin curtain rail here.arent we.?

No, we're talking of being in business and staying in business - plus realising 10 minutes extra would have prevented this, even with gripfill

 

[kirkgas]

Goldspoon its time to fight back!! why dont you sue them for stress, distress and loss of earnings as you are too ill to work at the thought of what might have happened IF the pole had hit you

 

[^woody^]

In a case like this I would only make a goodwill reduction in the bill if there was a very good chance that extra work would be coming from these people.

If this was a one off, diplomatically decline to adjust the price of work for which they were happy , on the basis of someone else's poor work or normal wear and tear beyond your control.

Or offer a discount on any future work instead of reducing this one - knowing you wont be going back

 

[libby lou lou]

woody ls rlght, l wouldn't be goln back, theyv'e only had you lf you glve a refund of any klnd. offer a cheaper do next tlme, then stlck £20 on,

 

[hairyben]

"My apologies, there appears to be a mis-understanding- the curtain rail fell on my head as I closed the door. Although normally I'd have refixed this securely as a favour, due to time overrun and the lateness of the hour {and pressing family concerns} we had to leave."

{possibly}

 

[EddieM]

Nah, Karin, is right. Explain the situation, offer to either put right or a token payment. Sometimes you just have to go with it.

 

[ColJack]

"the existing state of disrepair of the fittings and fixtures of your home is no fault of mine, I think it rather unfair that you expect me to reduce your bill for something that was not even our fault."
"we would be more than willing to provide youe with a quote to re-attatch the curtain rail."

 

[hairyben]

Nah, Karin, is right. Explain the situation, offer to either put right or a token payment. Sometimes you just have to go with it.

Yeah it kinda depends on the customer, sometimes you gotta roll with it, but they don't half flick your switches sometimes.

"Dear mam, I've given this some thought and I'm now willing to come back and stick this curtain rail up for you"

 

[EddieM]

Nah, Karin, is right. Explain the situation, offer to either put right or a token payment. Sometimes you just have to go with it.

Yeah it kinda depends on the customer, sometimes you gotta roll with it, but they don't half flick your switches sometimes.

"Dear mam, I've given this some thought and I'm now willing to come back and stick this curtain rail up for you"

Oh, yeah, it may well stick in your craw, but y'know