I'm in the wrong job

[luty]

I realise that Boilers shouldn't be fixed by those who do not know what they are doing, so when water started leaking out of the combi unit (potterton puma 100) i called potterton and they sent one of their guys round. The only thing wrong with the boiler was a nut that needed tightening, no parts, a 5 min job, all for £285 quid. it made me think that i should at least have opened up the unit and had a look before making the call.

I must say the guy was very helpful/knowledgable/efficient etc and he can only fix what's in front of him but surely there should be charges relating to the job.

 

[BDL]

A little sour that.

But I guess you agreed to a fixed price job?. If so well that is life.

What if the scenario were different?

You paid your fixed price and the engineer was there for 4 hrs and changed loads of parts? You would be very happy?


Swings and roundabouts in life. Don't think every job is that simple, the reason companies can offer fixed priced callouts is because they win on some and lose on others- eventually it should even out. You have just been on the losing side this time.


Regards

 

[oilman]

My god!!!!! I'll have to drop my prices if people are doing cheapy jobs like that

 

[luty]

Sorry to be sour, I guess I'm a bit gutted because my policy on not insuring the boiler has come back to haunt me.

Do most people pay 100 quid a year for a service contract or think (like me) that these things are sufficiently reliable to trust not to break down too often and that when they do just to cough up for it?

 

[JPC]

4 of those in a day..rest of the week off...lovely, that would do me
if only !

 

[breezer]

Do most people pay 100 quid a year for a service contract ?

long story short version

(origonal installer sadly kicked the bucket) had several companies "play"wth our boiler, missed apointments, wrong parts etc, all paid for by insurance

got bg in the end, well happy now

 

[DP]

Some service providers charge nearly £200 spots a year. Parts gets changed for 'free' until many parts are required when you are advised a new boiler is required. You pay for the new boiler.

Alternative is to put aside what you would pay a service company, look for a reliable engineer who knows your installation. Very good chance you will not be spending all the money you put aside. Bonus is when the boiler breaks down and repairs are uneconomical, you have a tidy sum that helps towards the replacement.

 

[ChrisR]

Went to a posh ahse off Sloane Square today. He showed me the bill from plumbers in Pimlico . To mend a leaking gate valve on the pump (28mm std valve) , total 3 + 2 = 5 man hours, £75 per hour + vat = £440.62.
They didn't charge for the ptfe tape.
They started draining down before trying to do it up tighter, allegedly.

 

[doitall]

Went to a posh ahse off Sloane Square today. He showed me the bill from plumbers in Pimlico . To mend a leaking gate valve on the pump (28mm std valve) , total 3 + 2 = 5 man hours, £75 per hour + vat = £440.62.
They didn't charge for the ptfe tape.
They started draining down before trying to do it up tighter, allegedly.

Thats cheaper than us Chris Their normal rate is over the ton, and they send 2 sometimes 3 people to look at the job which is all added to the bill.

Must be why they all got personal number plates

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

It's these sort of things that get the trade a bad name, £440.00 just to fix a pump valve, fekin ridiculous.

 

[oilman]

Exactly, there's too many of these cheap skate outfits nowadays. If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

 

[Agile]

I hope you remembered the Congestion Charge this time Chris!

If not you have until midnight to pay it at £10 !!!

That firm advertises 24 hr service 365 days a year! Last Christmas a 93 y.o. lady called them Christmas Eve morning and they told her that they would only be able to go after Christmas. I went instead and saved her about £360 by the sound of it!

Tony.

 

[doitall]

I hope you remembered the Congestion Charge this time Chris!

If not you have until midnight to pay it at £10 !!!

That firm advertises 24 hr service 365 days a year! Last Christmas a 93 y.o. lady called them Christmas Eve morning and they told her that they would only be able to go after Christmas. I went instead and saved her about £360 by the sound of it!

Tony.

Shucks your justs cheap Tony no wonder we get a bad name

 

[ChrisR]

Congestion Charge? What congestion charge? I've got some Sinex somewhere..

MOD

topic is

 

[oilman]

...........MOD



topic is

It's called "humour". You really should try to get out more.