Replacing a tap insert

[StuartB]

My son and let out a flat, which is managed by a local estate agent. We had a call to say that the bathroom sink hot tap 'wasn't working'; I went to have a look to see what that meant and found that the tap could be turned very slightly but only by applying A LOT of effort and then just a trickle of water came out.
Not being a plumber I instructed the agent to ask a plumber to look at it.
Anyway we recently got a copy of the bill for 'replacing a tap insert', for
£80 plus VAT; this seems excessive to me as I thought this was a
simple job with minimal parts costs.
But am I out of touch? What do you think?
Location is near Manchester.
Thanks in anticipation of your feedback.

 

[seco services]

maybe bit excessive for a daytime if thats when you asked him to call round.

but what ever time he came if it took 10 mins or 59 mins it's still an hour labour + parts + labour.

 

[kevindgas]

we would have charged £57 plus the cost of the cartridge around a fiver depending on the type. depends on wether the plumb had the right one in his van or had to go fetch it and return to fit.

 

[kirkgas]

Not being a plumber I instructed the agent to ask a plumber to look at it.
Anyway we recently got a copy of the bill for 'replacing a tap insert', for
£80 plus VAT; this seems excessive to me as I thought this was a
simple job with minimal parts costs.

you are not a plumber, that is the problem, you couldn't fix what you perceive as an easy job, so you have to pay the going rate.
PS you are right it is an easy job (but i have been doing it for 31years)
i ran out of diesel years ago in a works transit van ( i had just picked it up brand new 1hr before ) phoned one of the other guys who got me a gallon but the van wouldnt start so we had to phone the garage, £50 call out to bleed the diesel pump, 30 seconds work (plus his travel, paperwork PLI etc etc) but he knew what to do.

 

[StuartB]

Kirkgas

If I was a plumber I probably wouldn't be asking questions like this
on a DIY site!
At the risk of being pedantic I did not actually state that I could not fix it.

I don't have a problem paying the 'going rate'; I just needed some
guidance on what the 'going rate' was. Like most people I do not like
being ripped of, so was just checking.

 

[Nige F]

What`s the going rate for landlords Rigsby`s or Rackmann`s

 

[twgas]

Surely, as it's a rented flat the agent/landlord would be responsible for the bill, so you wouldn't be ripped off.

 

[seco services]

Surely, as it's a rented flat the agent/landlord would be responsible for the bill, so you wouldn't be ripped off.

the landlord is he's son.

 

[Whitespirit66]

£80 plus VAT; this seems excessive to me

Maybe a few 'drinks' over the odds. This is necessary so that the agent can get his kick-back from the plumber.

Large Jack Daniels if you're asking!

 

[twgas]

Surely, as it's a rented flat the agent/landlord would be responsible for the bill, so you wouldn't be ripped off.

the landlord is he's son.

My son and let out a flat

....not the clearest statement in the world

 

[Steady]

If you are letting out property it would be wise to get a decent local guy on board for regular work and who is not going to charge this much. If you were a repeat customer I doubt you would have been charged much more than £40.

 

[StuartB]

twgas

Oops!
The first line should of course have read ' My son and I let out.....'.

I remembered to use the spell check, forgot to use the 'sense check'!

Thanks to evryone who took the trouble to reply.